Sweet Nothings
by Seph4evr
Summary: Jenova didn't come alone, a child was born to a Cetra who had been kept in Shinra's lab for centuries to escape after feeling Gaia's pain. Given only one chance to change time, she must change the past, but it's a 50% chance of success. Adult content.
1. Grey After Red

**Chapter One: Grey After Red**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own fictional characters for a 'twist' to the cannon story line. All FFVII characters and places belong to the glorious Square Enix that we all, I'm sure, admire. Why else would you be reading a fic about their silver haired swordsman? Anyway, hope you enjoy, if you don't like it after all you aren't entitled to force yourself to read it =) Please enjoy!**_

She could feel the voice of the Planet as it redirected the Lifestream around it and deep within its core. It was pained but determined to survive. She could hear every scream; feel the energies of the beings forced to give their lives to protect the Planet trying to preserve future life. Her body ached with every loss of life. _WHY?_ She screamed out from her crystalized prison. _So many lives, all the suffering, useless; why did so many have to die? _The now gentle thrum of the Planet didn't reply, unyielding to her pleas when it usually allowed her access to such knowledge. She turned to another source of intellect, her father. _Father? Hear me, please! I need to get out, Shinra must realize its wrongs and I must be given a chance to right them! Please, Father, answer me. Help me… _There was no reply. She reached out to her other parent, her Mother, one whose icy power soon washed over her in welcome at the unaccustomed inquiry. Daughter, what is it you need? Her voice rang clear in Kituna's head, cold and powerful like her home, the outer reaches of Space. She rarely talked to her mother as her race of beings was feared by the Planet and those on it, thanks to the one called Jenova. Shiroi was just like Jenova, only she didn't devour planets, she traveled planets. She had fallen in love on this planet, to her father, Yochi. Kituna saw her mother's white blinding power as it enveloped her vision. Mother, I must right the wrongs of Shinra, I must get free!

You should have never been captured my darling, but yes I will grant you my power.

There was a flash of surreal light from Kituna's clasped hands as one of her heirloom materia that her mother had crafted for her of her own energies. The Mako prison that kept Kituna in place began to crack from the center point of releasing power and chips skittered to the floor. She was slowly able to inch her eyelids open to slits where she could see the lab she was kept in was empty, for now. She knew the routine of the scientists, within the next few minutes the next one will start his shift of the new hour, she had no time to lose. She didn't feel the need to cause bloodshed until she reached the man who had caused all of this. Of course, the original man was long since dead, his life force joining the Lifestream many centuries ago before the reawakening of Jenova and the experiments, of course that man was long dead, too. She tensed her muscles, wincing from the sore cry of her body, how long had she been in here? She had given up on counting the years long ago. Chunks of Mako crashed to the floor despite her attempts to keep it as quiet as possible. She had to move, now. She sent a prayer of thanks to Shiroi and straightened her snug fitting tunic and leggings. After checking that her twin blades Gin and Kin were still sheathed in their sheaths across her back she adjusted the thick leather strap that kept them in place into a more comfortable fit across her chest. Her dark violet eyes flashed with excitement as she jogged to the lab's doors, readying her legs for the sprint she was going to have to make to get out of the facility. The plaque in the hall read B-90. _Great_. She mentally seethed before trotting down the hall, pushing her senses around her to see if any life forms of any sort were near her location. She had been kept this far underground for a reason, to try to cut her off from the Planet. _Stupid humans_, she laughed to herself_, the Planet's energy is everywhere._ If they were worried about what she could do incased in Mako then they were in for a big surprise as her rage fueled warrior persona began to take charge of her body. Her mother's hereditary gift.

She slipped down hallway after hallway of polished steel, gleaming brilliantly under the harsh fluorescent lights that lined the juncture of the wall and ceiling. Narrowing her eyes against the glare, Kituna silently opened one of the side doors that no longer opened on automation like every other door in Shinra. The small discarded room was dark, but her eyes, tainted by Mako experiments on her 'sleeping' form over the years, were able to pierce through the shadows with ease. She scanned the room's contents, old, outdated and unused equipment that were once used to study the abilities of materia and Mako. How easily humans forgot about such useful things. A smirk spread across her lips as she casually walked up to one of the bigger machines and plugged in the loose cord. Small numerous lights blinked on all over the machine and a soft whirring noise emanated from its engine somewhere near its base. Just as she expected, a button lit up in vivid red, as large as an orange. At least useful to me. She mashed the large button and headed to the emergency evacuation elevator in the room's corner as was standard in all of the facilities rooms in case of a power outage that the generators couldn't handle and the doors couldn't operate. Humans didn't have the super strength that Kituna was born with and enhanced by Mako even. Kituna rapidly pulled on the old rope, taking notice of the fact it was rat bitten and brittle with age. She moved her hands fast and in no time she had pulled herself to floor 5, decent progress. She could easily make her way to the top of the building, the President of Shinra's office, by scaling the building's walls. Better than getting thrown back down to one of the basement's floors when the ropes finally gave in. She shifted the belt around her waist and checked her weapons to make sure their pommel stones were still latched in before realizing she had been clasping one in her hand when she had attempted to persuade the humans that Jenova should be destroyed instead of imprisoned in stone. That very materia she used as an empowering pommel stone had freed her from her Mako cell. The glimmering orb had been stashed in her knee high leather boots with a modest heel, ideal for running and climbing as well as stashing. She reached in to retrieve the treasured heirloom and smiled at her reflection on the pearly silver surface before latching it back in its rightful place on Gin, her gold colored sword. Then she checked her boot to make sure her long knives were still in her boots. She couldn't remember if the scientists had taken anything off her person so she had to make sure she had everything before heading outside in case she had to visit the store rooms. The last thing she could think of that would come in handy was her armlet made of a special metal alloy that when prompted could grow in size and change shape into a creature that added her in battle. It had been a gift from her parents before the attempt they had made at killing Jenova for good. They hadn't wanted anything to happen to her; she would have activated it on Shinra if the Planet herself hadn't stopped her. She loathed the Planet although she knew it only did what it thought best for survival.

Shaking those thoughts aside for further consideration at a later time, Kituna crawled onto a nearby window sill and immediately began scaling the outer wall of the Shinra building, the pale street lamps of Loveless Avenue below flickering as civilians milled around in response to the siren emitting from the building. This could prove a problem, they will be searching for a person trying to cause the building harm, not at all false but still cumbersome results could come about. Kituna quickly climbed to the roof and then crouched on the edge of the tall building. Peering down at the commotion below she noticed troops of SOLDIER operatives and Infantrymen, coming to the rescue of the scientists and President no doubt. She had to hurry before they had a chance to evacuate all the building's occupants.

Kituna scanned the rooftop and bee lined to the fire escape door, finding it locked. _Heh_, she smirked, _no match for my long knives_. She unsheathed one of the black knives from her boots and gently inserted the blade into the crack above the lock to slash it in a downward motion. The door swung open and Kituna swiftly slipped down the stairs to the next level below. The plaque in the short hallway red President's Office. _Bingo_. The hallway was dimly lit with the red flashing light giving it an eerily vacant appearance. The door to the private office was open and shuffling could be heard as the President gathered important documents before his escorts to safety could override the system of lock-down and reach him. _Perfect_. Kituna stood in the doorway with an evil grin on her pretty pink lips, her violet eyes flashing with hunger for blood. The President didn't notice her. He ran a free hand through his short cut blond hair and swiveled his head around the office again and again, causing his square frame glasses to slide further down his nose as he sweated with growing fear.

"I swear, if one of Hojo's experiments has escaped _yet again_, I'll kill the annoying fuck! Now where is that report on the Anomaly…" his dark blue eyes searched the stacks of papers that littered the tables and shelves that lined the office's walls.

_Anomaly? What was he talking about? Who was Hojo, another scientist?_

Maybe she shouldn't kill him as she had previously intended, but she had to act fast, she could feel the life forces of the President's escort making their way through the overridden elevator. She also wanted answers and taking him hostage would surely prove to be in her favor.

She pointed her long knife at the worrying President and advanced. This time she caught his eye. He raised his hands in surrender and looked back at his desk, no doubt where his hand gun now was.

"You're the President of Shinra now? What is your name?" she commanded in a dry tone.

He looked back at her face. "You don't know me? I should be asking who you are! Barging into my office, pointing a knife at me, you don't know who you're dealing with!"

She narrowed her eyes. "I believe I'm talking to the man who took the job that trains young boys to worship fighting to send them off to die as your company seeks to gain control over the nations and the Mako deep within the Planet. If I'm not mistaken, you are the President, the great man who took that role are you not? Now, I've been away for a while, last time I remember Jorun was President of Shinra. You obviously aren't him as you are not fat and balding, so that leads me to question who you are." She stepped closer. "I suggest you answer before I lose what little patience I have left."

She could see his throat bob as he gulped nervously before looking at one of the sheets of paper in his hand he had been moving before her confrontation. "Wait, Jorun hasn't been President for centuries…how could…" he shuffled to another stack of papers to look through one of the files that had been buried in his frenzied search. "Here it was, the Anomaly. At the sealing of Jenova apparently, a suspect had been restrained and held in a pit of raw Mako, resulting in preservation of the suspect…" his gaze shot up to meet hers. "You…you're the Anomaly…Project A."

Fear flashed across his face as he dropped the papers he had been moving and clutched the folder to his chest, running to his desk for the weapon stowed in his half open top drawer.

Kituna didn't want to have to kill him and he apparently knew about what had happened to her and that folder held the information about what they had down to her in her clouded sleep. But the gun he was reaching for could hinder her intentions. She raised her hand and threw the long knife to pin his free hand to his chair where the black blade embedded itself just before he touched the drawer.

"I'm not going to kill you, I would have done so by now you buffoon, just tell me your name for Gaia's sake!"

"R..Rufus…" he managed when he couldn't tug his handicap free. "If you're not going to kill me then what _do_ you want?"

"You are coming with me, I'll explain it later. Your escort is on the way but I don't want to take innocent lives…take that folder and anything else regarding Project A or whatever. We're going to be talking a lot about its history." She strode forward and retrieved her knife, tucking it back into its sheath in her left boot before grabbing the President's arm. I'll be carrying you on my back as we scale down the building, I suggest you hang on as we don't want you to go splat on the pavement below now do we?" she laughed at his expression as she hoisted him onto her back for him to wrap his arms around her neck and chest and his trembling legs around her waist. His fear was futile, she wouldn't let him fall, and she needed to know what that Hojo had done to her and what she could do to change the past. For that she would need the help of both her parents and their gifts they had bestowed upon her before their deaths.

Kituna sprinted up the steps to the rooftop and over to the back of the building. Search lights were already scanning the sides of the building, she wouldn't be able to climb down it with Rufus on her back while dodging the bright lights. She looked over her shoulder at the scared President's face. "You might want to close your eyes, change of plans."

She barely gave him time to comply with her warning before she jogged toward the edge and leap into space, thousands of feet above the air.

080

Kituna dumped the cramped man from her shoulders by the bank she had stopped near. The river's blue waters gently rushed by them with a soothing babbling sound, perhaps it would help the two converse with level heads. She looked down at the weak human as he cringed from the long ride he had endured in their flight from the city. Narrowing her eyes she lowered herself a few feet away on her knees, brushing dust off her dark garments before returning her dusk hued gaze back toward the blonde.

"Rufus, are you alright? I'm not accustomed to carrying humans on my back…" she studied his restricted movements as he struggled into a sitting position, still clutching the folder that held information on her hibernated state in Shinra's laboratory. "I have no intention on harming you, sir…" she added warily, unsure of what else to say.

The blond President looked up at his captor. Her dark gold hair falling straight to her waist, a large portion of her bangs falling over her right violet eye. He had never seen such angelic beauty. Those eyes drew him in within their deep, mysterious depths. He broke away to look instead at the clear crystal river. "So the reports are true…the Anomaly…you…possess more power than we could imagine.." he mused. "I assume you have a reason for awakening now. I didn't even think you were still able to waken, your life force was so weak and dim for all these years. The scientists had abandoned any thought of you thriving as more than a vegetable, a shell of the body the documentation claimed your kind had been. Tell me, what exactly are you?"

Kituna sighed. "I barely know that myself. Sometimes I'm my mother, but mostly my father…but those reports may hold the key for me realizing who I am so I can accomplish my mission my mother helped me be able to set. I seek the restoration of the past. You would know firsthand the lives that were needlessly lost, I witnessed the struggles of Gaia and all her inhabitants as if I had seen it with my own eyes, I felt every life as it joined the Lifestream. With my parent's power I can reconstruct the past and prevent such a catastrophe from ever happening." She edged closer to the man before her. "But I must learn of what your people have done to me over the years I was in slumber." She held out her hand for the folder. "Please…"

Rufus looked at her gloved hand outstretched to him, asking for the precious information that was the last of anything that crack pot Hojo had ever produced for Shinra that was worthy of his pay. But her eyes were clouded over with yearning to know what had happened to her. Didn't she deserve to know? He began to offer the folder when a sudden thought crossed his mind. _What if she turned out like Sephiroth? When he had been revealed how he himself had come into this world like he was he had burned a whole town and later caused even more devastation that has put my company in bad sights of the people. Well, the majority of people who either hadn't cared about what Shinra did or had trusted it to be good._ He paused at what she might be able to do… _If the reports are correct, she contains more power by her lineage alone than Sephiroth. But part of her wasn't bent on vengeance an hate…was it worth the risk?_

He had hesitated in handing her the folder as his sapphire eyes widened at a sudden thought. Was that fear she sensed in him? She grabbed the folder from his trembling hand snapping him out of his reverie to gasp. Whatever he had been thinking about must have scared him quite a bit. Kituna shrugged away her curiosity toward the gawking man to the folder she now held, opening it and scanning the first page. It was a profile description of her with a shot of her standing in front of a tall man with black hair and soft green eyes in a dark brown tunic over lighter brown pants tucked in brown scarred boots with a matching belt. Beside him stood an average sized woman with long pale silver hair tied into a braid with bangs that framed her round, loving face. She had Kituna's glowing violet hued eyes and pale pink lips like her daughter and wore a long light blue gown with no sleeves and on her petite feet she wore small ankle high light brown boots with a slight heel. Kituna wore the same garments she was wearing now.

This must have been taken before the Jenova incident… Shinra had been documenting their race at that time, of course they had had no idea they would be almost completely wiped out to save the precious Planet. She turned to the next page, a Profile of her father. It classified him as an Ancient being, a Cetra, categorized as 'Possible Future Interest', just as she had been. The next page showed her mother who was classified as Calamity and categorized as 'Subject of Interest'.

Her father and mother, natural enemies of the cosmos…somehow they had fallen in love and thus produced her? This information was beyond confusing. She had known what her mother was to an extent, an alien life form that had found Gaia in her journeys across the cosmos, but her father was a Cetra? Her mother was like Jenova? Flipping to the next page she found the first of many reports and charts displaying infusions with raw Mako to her being while encased in the substance. Her body had been ravaged by every materia influence the company could get its hands on thanks to the professor known as Hojo.

She looked up at the now skittish President Shinra. "Hojo…is he still alive? Why were these things done to me? Were any of you aware of his intentions?" her voice was getting high pitch. Was the scientist also responsible for the deaths of her parents? There was so much she didn't know.

Rufus slowly eased back into a relaxed position before shrugging. "My intel has informed me that they may know the whereabouts of him, though it is hardly able to be trusted, he was supposed to have died before the Meteor struck. We are hunting down every lead that hints at anyone being alive that was in anyway involved with what happened, though. It isn't befitting of our company to have such men running around." He cleared his throat. "Is there any more need of me?"

He was worried about his welfare Kituna noted. She nodded stiffly. I need to be taken to the City of the Ancients. I have a spell that can only be cast from there. If I do it properly we can travel back to before any of this sadness plagued the Planet, hopefully. At least our conscious can, I don't know how far back I can go but if you are alive at that point you won't forget any of what has transpired between us if you are of a proper age. I doubt I can go back far though, before my forced hibernation that is." Her eyes began to mist over. _Back before her parent's death and before the discovery of Jenova and the resulting tests. _She closed the folder and handed it back to the silent President who reached for his PHS.

080

The helicopter ride to what was left of the City of the Ancients was short and silent. The pilot didn't inquire about why his boss had been sitting by a river with a strange beauty away from the city and Kituna and Rufus preferred it that way.

When they landed, Rufus followed Kituna to the largest gleaming white building with a masterfully sculpted doorway that lead into a spacious grand room that would've held thousands when it was constructed. The fading afternoon sun's light filtered through large holes that had formed in its massive domed ceiling, giving the place an eerie feeling of the supernatural. Kituna knelt in front of a statue of a robed woman and clasped her hands together, concentrating on the materia pommel stones of her twin swords.

"Father, Mother, I call upon your power to combine with the gifts you had bestowed upon me before our departure many years ago. I seek to travel as far back as you may pertain, to save this world from losing valuable lives and those of the innocent. I trust you can hear my plea and come to join me now, I put the rest in your capable hands that you may place me where I can perform my duties for the Planet."

Rufus gasped as the pommels of her swords lit up with brilliant light of gold and silver pearled hues and the beast like white band on her arm below her elbow began to slither off her arm. It rose to blinding light to reveal its form of a large white fox with garnet red eyes. It sat before the young girl and raised its nose to the sky as two shimmering forms of light, one a dark blue and the other faded lavender, took places on its left and right. The young girl smiled as she felt their presence behind closed eyes and the entire room was engulfed in a blinding grey light as time began to rewind.

_**One chance.**_ Echoed around them. _**That is all you can be granted, one chance to save Gaia. But be warned, if you fail in saving her from the fate she has already endured, ultimate destruction will be her fate and Sephiroth's scheme my prove a different outcome in the altered future. Your actions warrant this Planet's destiny, Daughter.**_

The light swirled around them in a pearly tornado, sending their clothes flapping around their bodies. Then as suddenly as it had begun it had stopped. The light faded to reveal they were in the middle of a junk heaped alley.

Rufus looked around, turning back and forth and to every side. Kituna stood and looked around her, immediately recognizing the building they were behind as the church in the slums. This was the home of one of her father's sister's child. She looked over at the amazed blonde beside her and giggled at his comical antics. "Rufus, you look twenty years younger."

He stopped and stared down at himself then at the unchanged woman before him. "Then that would mean we went back to when Sephiroth was still a SOLDIER 2nd class…we should find a calendar to know for sure though." He studied himself again, he did look younger, no, he _was_ younger. But the girl had remained the same. "Why do _you_ still look the same?"

Kituna grinned and crossed her arms behind her back under her golden hair. "Because, silly, I'm a Cetra that isn't dwindled down with human blood. They remain the same for centuries once they reach a certain age; I looked the same years before this date as well. Now come on, we are in the Slums, if we go through the Market we should…"

Rufus waved her words away. "I know how to get back to Loveless Avenue… wait; I don't know your name." Weird, he thought, since she had captured me from my office and dragged me across Midgar you'd think I'd have been graced with her name. She smiled at his concentrated look. "My name is Kituna. Now please, we must hurry to the Shinra building. I need to monitor the situation there and _you_ as the President's son shouldn't be in the Slums unless with an escort." She playfully scolded.

_He's not so bad to be around after all._

He looked across the street at one of the shops not able to fit in the Market. It looked high end, at least enough so that only respected people or 'important' people could get in. "Maybe I _do_ have an escort." He motioned over to the shop where a long black leather coat with a wide hood hung in the window next to other leather garments. He led her over to the shop and smiled politely at the large ominous bouncer that regulated entrance. At the sight of Rufus Shinra he hurriedly stepped aside and murmured something into his ear piece. They grabbed a coat in her size and on their way to the counter Kituna grabbed a black and gold metal mask that depicted a human face void of expression. There were small slits for the mouth and nostrils for breathing and two holes for the eyes. Rufus brought out enough gill to pay for twice what they had picked up but the shop keeper behind the counter gave them a toothless grin as he snatched up the money.

Once outside again Kituna slipped on the coat and mask, pulling the hood over her head to shadow her face but that she could still see from beneath the mask. "So what am I exactly?"

Rufus smiled at his cleverness. "You, milady, are a SOLDIER 1st class who is my escort on our way to the Shinra building."

"SOLDIER 1st class? But I'm not…"

He cut her off, "_Yes_ you are. You have been introduced to Mako and are obviously a trained fighter, you could be better than Sephiroth himself. You certainly have the heritage that he doesn't and that isn't watered down like the flower girl who got herself killed…well, who _will_ get herself killed." He corrected himself.

"Not if I do my job. No one will lose their life that doesn't need to. But fine, I'll be your little 'escort', but we need to hurry if we want to make sure we have time to do what needs to be done." She began making her way to the large Slum's Market.

"And what exactly needs to be done, to save the Planet and all."

She glanced at him over her shoulder to make sure he was following her. "Stop the next three SOLDIER 1st class members from realizing what they truly are. That's what drives them crazy after all."

Rufus hurried to keep up with the Cetra's fast pace as they headed to change destiny, for better or for worse.

_**Okay, there is the first chapter, hope I got everything out there and explained for now. Please review, I just want to know if y'all think it's good or should be trashed, just let me know what's on your mind =D**_


	2. Childhood Friends

**Chapter Two: Childhood Friends**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters. Everything FFVII belongs to Square Enix. Please enjoy and let me know what you think, good or bad I don't really care =)**_

The Market was crowded with people though it had an empty feeling. Kituna noticed the shifty figures that huddled by or inside the small shops and stands, offering great deals on seemingly priceless objects and trinkets. She also noticed it was just polished garbage.

"Hmph, they're selling junk as if it's jewels. And the people buy it? They don't even need it." She was incredulous to their stupidity.

"They are made to believe they want it to have something their poorer neighbors don't. I believe it's the roundabout 'competing with the Jones''. We can't do anything about it and they are happy in a way." He contradicted. "Now, no shopping, we are going to Shinra remember."

She glared at the blonde through her metal mask. "Of course! I'm the one who insisted we go there. But first, if you remember your own suggestion we must see a calendar to know the exact date and what we are going to be walking into when we make it to Shinra." She looked in the nearby shop, her Mako eyes pinpointing the flip calendar in the back office behind the counter. It read 'January 1, 1986'

She relayed the date to Rufus. "Then he has already become the first 1st Class, that was a few years ago. But his friends will be undergoing the missions my father appointed them concerning the rebels who have based around their hometown of Banora. If we hurry we should be able to catch them on the SOLDIER Floor." He waved her toward the large doorway that led up to Sector 7.

Getting through the doors was simple enough, although the Infantrymen's eyes followed Kituna as she fell into step behind Rufus' right shoulder. Her eyes never left them either until they were in the Entrance of the Shinra Building. "They are suspicious of me."

"Should they be?" he grinned. "To be honest, I'm not sure I'm not. You did kidnap me from my office during an emergency."

She inclined her head slightly to show her small amusement through her emotionless mask. "I was that emergency, my mother had granted me the power to break through the Mako encasement I had been stored in."

"You must've been put in there for a reason, Shinra wouldn't have…"

She interrupted. "It wasn't Shinra at first, it was the Human race who were afraid of my people."

"The Cetra? Why were they afraid of their Mother Race?" his brow knitted in confusion.

"I am only half Cetra, the other half is…something else." He looked at her imploringly. "You don't need to know, Sir. They were afraid of the power I would have. They were afraid of my parents, all because of the Jenova incident." Her voice was laced with fury.

"What Jenova incident? How do you know about her, she's classified." He had to lower his voice, glancing around at the businessmen in suits to make sure none had over-heard their conversation.

"I may have been restricted of movement in the Mako, Sir, but I heard and felt everything that happened on the Planet. _Everything! _Every new life and every death, everything that happened to that life and why. Remember that when I come to you with information, and when I request it." Her voice had cracked mid-sentence, calling the attention of the sales woman who was walking around to SOLDIER members and Infantrymen who weren't on assignment handing out free samples of potions. Rufus saw her coming over Kituna's shoulder and jerked his head for her to turn to see the on-coming concerned woman.

"Is everything okay? Sir, maybe your friend would like to sit down…oh!" her eyes widened like saucers when she saw Kituna in her coat and mask. Clearly she had thought to see the face of a sad woman standing beside her President's son. "I'm sorry sir, I just thought I'd heard a distressed…well…" she smiled awkwardly at the black metal mask with weird markings of gold around the edges, then scuttled off in her tight knee length suit skirt and size too small heels.

"She thought you were a girl. You can't sound like a woman while under cover of a SOLDIER 1st Class, got it? The only women who work for Shinra are the clerks and scientists. Not as combatants." He then pulled her toward the elevator and pushed the button for the SOLDIER Floor. "Now, we will intercept Genesis and Angeal in the Briefing Room, according to the schedule of my PHS, they should be reporting there now. I'm to meet them and accompany them."

Kituna took in the muscular yet still slim man beside her. He wasn't fit to be going anywhere where combat was involved. "Why?"

He sighed. "This was how my father got me toughened up for his position. It was hard, and thanks to you I have to start over apparently. This was the hardest assignment he had sent me on, the others were okay, but there is more I'm going to have to go on from here." he ran his hand through his short cut blond hair. "But I survived before, and," he perked up at a sudden thought, "I'll have you to help with the worse stuff, the monsters that nearly killed me and all. Plus you can see it as a chance to get buddy with the boys. Win, win situation." He finished with a broad smile.

Kituna rolled her eyes at his foolish worries. He hadn't been that close to death before. She had felt the whole fight herself; it was only a few of those chocobo looking mountain birds. She shrugged and rolled her shoulders, prepping for the meeting of the next First Class of SOLDIER.

080

Rufus sat opposite Kituna beside Angeal on the copter ride to Banora, leaving his First Class escort to sit scrunched up beside Genesis. She didn't know where to put her hands the whole flight, she finally settled them in the pool of her lap since every time she rested them on her legs her left hand would slide to Genesis' right thigh, making Kituna blush a vivid red beneath her mask. Of course, Genesis didn't seem to mind, he didn't know she was of the opposite sex although he was too engrossed in his red leather bound copy of Loveless. His favorite literature she remembered. She also remembered his assumptions of how it fit his own life and drove him to leaving SOLDIER and causing suffering to so many. Angeal grinned over at his childhood friend and nudged his foot with his own booted foot. "Genesis, we're almost home, why don't you get your nose outta that book? Certainly you can't wait to see your parents after our training?"

The brunet looked up from the cherished volume to grin at his childhood friend. "Angeal, I am most excited to see my parents, but this piece of literature is very gripping if you'd give it a shot."

The darker laughed and waved the thought away. "And become an addict to a fictional world? No thank you. The play was too sad anyway, I don't know how you can read a story of a ruined friendship over and over like you do." The other chuckled. "It's only as real as the mind wants it to be. Who's to say what is fiction and what is reality? And the Gift of the Goddess…it's tempting to find if that holds some truth to it." His vivid blue eyes fell on Kituna, or A as she was to be called when dressed as SOLDIER. "A, what do you think? Are you familiar with the work?"

Kituna knew all about it. It was true that the Gift of the Goddess, the power of Minerva, was very much real although it was not a power of raw brawn but of a well-balanced brawn and brain with grace, wisdom and humility. She considered telling this to the two friends but remembered that Genesis had become obsessed with this Gift, placing his life in the tragic story's place. She nodded and said in her deepened voice, "I am familiar with it, but much is to be considered on the topic. Truly that story itself is false as no one has claimed the Gift but there is, as we know, speculation on what the Gift means. I for one believe it means finding one's own strength in his weaknesses and humanity. The Hero succumbs to pride while the captive forgets the world when he trades duty for love and the other gives in to ambition and jealousy of his friends and anger at what he sees as abandonment." All three men were looking at her as if she had sprouted another head, eyes wide and mouths open. She cleared her throat and shrugged. "'It isn't a fate one should covet or obsess about in my opinion."

Genesis nodded with a smug grin spreading across his face. "Well, the Gift of the Goddess, infamous in mystery as it is, shall be mine. I will become the best SOLDIER and deemed a hero when this war is over. Wutai will fall by my blade." He added with a twisted grin that he shared with his friend. "By our blades you mean? I hear your father had a custom blade made for you for when you become First?"

Genesis nodded. "It will match the red leather coat my mother made for me last time I was home for the same occasion. But it is only a rapier I hear while yours is a buster, weight usually wins out in a close sword fight. The mighty Sephiroth himself has a rather long katana he acquired not long ago from a retired swordsman in Wutai while on a mission there. Six or seven feet I think the newbies were saying…I wonder what he's compensating for." He gave a wink to Kituna who blushed. Was he suggesting…? Men were strange conversationalists for sure. She rolled her eyes but gave a dry chuckle before looking ahead at Rufus who was fighting to keep his face straight at her discomfort. She'd show him she sneered to herself. "Well, with you even considering his compensation, you yourself must feel challenged by him? What are you compensating for?"

Angeal and Rufus both burst into raucous laughter as Genesis choked and turned bright red. "WHAT? N-n-nothing, nothing! Shut up, both of you!" he stammered, kicking Angeal's leg. Kituna grinned to herself and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry Genesis, I'm sure your just fine down there." The other two burst back into laughter, only stopping slightly when the Banora White trees became visible as the chopper began its descent over the hills.


	3. Banora

**Chapter Three: Banora**

_**Hey all, I'm gonna start trying to make the updates more frequent but that's not easy on a shared laptop with faulty internet so sorry what little readers I have XP but as always I hope you enjoy and please review!**_

They landed in the middle of a clearing near an immense orchard which belonged to Genesis' parents. They made their way through the arched branches that formed shaded walkways in rows upon rows of purple hued fruit and snow white buds. Genesis picked a few ripe apples from a nearby tree they were passing and tossed one to each of them. "Here, have a dumb apple everyone, on me!" he bit into the juicy fruit, licking the clear fluid from his lips with a satisfied smile. Everyone else gladly followed suit. "I swear, one day, Sephiroth will taste my apples and maybe we'll become close friends. Kinda like the way we became friends, ehh Angeal? Don't tell me our trees being the best didn't influence your decision to be my friend either! I know it did." The two smiled at each other until Angeal's eyes lit up at an unvoiced humor.

"I don't think I tasted your apples Genesis, I'm more of a melon guy myself." He smiled dirtily at which Genesis once again started to choke on his mouthful of apple.

"Angeal! You queer! That's it, no more apples for you, I'm taking that one back!" he made a grab at the half-eaten fruit in his friend's gloved hand but Angeal raced ahead. "You'll have to catch me first!" he took another huge bite and began weaving around the arched trees when Genesis sped up to catch him, leaving Rufus and Kituna behind.

"Men or soooo weird." She commented. "Do you guys always make inappropriate comments about each other's sexuality?" she asked.

The blond laughed. "For someone so powerful you sure don't know much about men. Are you sure you know what all happens on the Planet because men have been this way since…well, forever, dear." He chewed on his apple as he continued in the direction of the large mansion-like house in the distance.

Kituna matched his pace. "I know what happens, not what people themselves are like. They could be good, bad, polite or disgusting and I would only know their life's story not the minute details. Like you for instance, by the way you had poorly led your company with your early accession of your position I had assumed you to be selfish and a poor leader. I didn't know you had a difficult relationship with your father trying to make you a better successor."

He nodded as he gulped down the rest of his fruit. "And I didn't know that you as a project of the crazed scientists of Shinra wouldn't kill everything in sight as soon as you awakened, not to mention I hardly knew of your existence or whereabouts before you snuck into my office the other day. So you were in our building the whole time?"

She nodded. "Floor B-98."

"I see, well maybe we both assume too much." He stopped walking and faced her, offering his hand. "To a better future and a fresh start."

She looked at his smiling face and hand suspended between them for a minute. Was he trying to trick her? No, she shouldn't clump him together with his weaseling ancestors. She wasn't going to assume about him anymore. She had to continue to right the past and prevent the horrible though not totally destroyed future. She gripped his hand. "To a better future."

They finally made it to the Rhaspsodos house to find an exhausted Genesis and Angeal sprawled against the side of the big house. A couple, apparently Genesis' parents, stood over the two young men with an amused expression. "Son," Genesis' mother leaned over her son. "Are you all right?"

He nodded and pulled himself to his feet. "Of course, mother. Just had to show Angeal that despite his SOLDIER training, he's still slow and fat, ha!" then he turned to his parents and hugged them both with his long arms, every muscle clearly flexing as he gave them a soft squeeze in his sleeveless SOLDIER outfit. His father noticed and began to congratulate him on his training as they were all led inside.

"You'll be staying here as long as you're here, all of you." Mrs. Rhaspsodos beamed at the group before turning to her son. "We have your rapier and coat if you'd like to start wearing them in before you're officially a First. I'll go get them!" she hurried down one of the halls to disappear into one of the far off rooms to retrieve the items.

Genesis stretched out in a chair, propping his feet on the table and yawning. "Dad, as soon as Mom gets back I'm going to go try them out with some sparring outside before dinner, is that okay?"

"Of course, son! We can catch up after dinner in front of the fire before Jennet shows your companions to their guest rooms." A few seconds later, Jennet Rhaspsodos emerged from another doorway with a long, red leather coat with black leather shoulder pads and a bright red polished rapier in her hands. She offered them to her son with a proud smile as he pulled on the coat, rolling his shoulders so the leather formed to his figure.

"Perfect as always Mom." Then he gripped the new red rapier and admired its wing hilt and clear red pommel. "Interesting design, Dad."

"It's a symbol for promise and good fortune, the winged goddess Nike will always be at your back in battle." He said with a warm smile. "Jennet, Genesis wants to go and spar for a while before dinner to break the coat in and get a feel of his new weapon. He'll have plenty of time to catch up in the next few days while he's staying here, right son?" Genesis nodded. "Of course, Dad, the rebels shouldn't be that much of a problem to take care of giving us a while to catch up and just enjoy our company again." This made the couple smile before going to prepare dinner and the guest rooms for their son and guests.

Genesis led the others outside and swung his sword in an arch above his head. "So who wants to go up against me first?"

Angeal raised his hand and jumped into a fighting stance with his standard issue sword gripped in his hands. "We'll see which one of us is the better man! Winner can take on A to see if he deserves to be called First Class!"

The two jumped at each other, the clang of steel on steel rang out in the chilling evening air. They slashed and hacked at each other, grunting as they pushed against their opponent, dancing in the dirt. Kituna was amazed at the grace they portrayed but Genesis finally twisted his new blade so that Angeal's went flying, embedding in a nearby apple tree.

Angeal looked at his weapon, still quivering from the impact, as he raised his hands in defeat. He panted and smiled at his friend. "You're stronger than me, but are you stronger than _him_?"

He walked back to where Rufus and Kituna where standing by the house and gestured to the waiting swordsman. "You're up."

Kituna looked nervously at Rufus. He wore an amused grin and winked reassuringly at her. She took a deep breath and drew Gin and Kin, their energies pulsing under her touch, the call to battle clear to them. She took her position in front of the other SOLDIER and raised the blade to where the silvery Kin above angled above her head and the gold hued Gin posed across her mid-section. She was ready for any advance the other made although she was still nervous, it had literally been centuries since she had lifted her trusted weapons.

Genesis' rapier flashed in the dying sunlight as he swung to attack her neck. She easily deflected the attack with Kin, pushing Gin upwards toward Genesis' stomach.

He jumped back and into the air, the wind whipping his short spikey hair across his field of vision. He brought his sword down as he surged down toward the cloaked SOLDIER.

Kituna dodged and swung her blades together in alternating spirals, causing Genesis to parry at different angles. He was panting harder now, being forced back into the orchard where he twisted around one of the arched trees and ran at another to run up into its boughs. Kituna followed but this time with swirling jabs at his calves.

He jumped into the air and turned around to see his opponent had leapt up to where he was suspended, lashing at his shoulders. He raised his rapier horizontally across his torso to block both blades then pushed so that Kituna fell a few feet. He took some steadying breaths before lunging down back to earth, turning into a spiral only to be stopped by a thin gold katana. He gasped at the impact and gulped as a silver blade lightly pressed at his throat.

Kituna grinned behind her mask. "I believe I win. But you are a worthy opponent." She congratulated as they put away their weapons.

Genesis rubbed the sweat out of his sky blue eyes and nodded while finally catching his breath. "But Sephiroth would have been better. I heard that he was raised for battles, strictly as a weapon against Shinra's enemies. I want to be just like him someday."

Angeal patted his shoulder. "Once we're First Class, we'll see him and train with him every day, friend."

Genesis nodded and started back into the house. "Dinner should be ready now, guys."

They followed him inside and were led to the dining room where the table was set with a large baked ham glistening with honey glaze with bowls of creamy mashed potatoes, steaming vegetables, and buttery rolls. They all sat and thanked Gaia for the food and dug in. Angeal and Genesis packed more and more food on their plates, having used all their energy in their sparring match, while Kituna only ate a moderate amount compared to the small amounts everyone else piled on their plates. She shyly dug in, pulling on her mouth slit in her mask to reveal her lower face below her nose so that she could eat.

The food was amazing, Kituna didn't even notice there had been a conversation started until she had cleaned her plate and caught the end of it. "..and we are just _so_ proud of all you have done, son and you too Angeal! You should go see your mother tomorrow, she has your sword at her house, and maybe you could you it on your mission?"

Angeal shook his head. "It represents my family's honor, my father had it made when I joined SOLDIER but he isn't here."

The Rhaspsodos exchanged a nervous look. "But he would be so proud and would want you to use it." They said reassuringly.

He nodded. "Of course I won't waste it, but I'll use it only when necessary. Otherwise, this standard issue is good enough. But as a last gift from him I'd like it to last a long time and use brings about wear, tear and rust. And _that_ is a real waste."

They all nodded in agreement and Jennet began clearing the table. "Angeal, can you show Rufus and A to their rooms? They're the two on the East wing overlooking the ravine."

He nodded and led them down the hallway to the left and down another to the right and then another left until they stood before two rooms down one long hallway with a window that overlooked the ravine.

"Genesis and I will be on the West wing overlooking the town in our old rooms, if you need us we'll be there." Then he turned on his heal and receded into the growing shadows of the house.

Rufus opened the door on the right and looked in, leaving Kituna to the one on the left. The rooms were identical to last detail. They each had a large bed big enough for three grown men, a large wardrobe, a vanity wash basin with scrubbing cloths and scented soaps and their own bathroom. Kituna could tell the vanity and most of the other furnishings were solely for decoration as they were antique. She walked in and ran her hand across the plush comforter, feeling the soft fabric through her leather glove. The room was large, as big as her parents white hut back at the City of the Ancients; she couldn't wrap her head around the idea that it was just hers or the fact that the Rhaspsodos family owned a house _full_ of similar rooms. Rufus, however, wasn't fazed by the size. She remembered he was the son of the President of Shinra and would have had anything he wanted.

"Good night, remember we set out for the outskirts of town for the rebel warehouse in the morning." Rufus called from his room as he began getting settled in, slipping his shoes off as he sat on the springy bed and shed his white jacket. Kituna stood uncertainly in the doorway to her room, drawing his attention.

"I'm not used to having a big room all to myself, this is bigger than the hut my parents and I had in the City of the Ancients…" she mumbled as she took off her mask and pulled off her cloak.

The blond smiled at the Cetra. "Just use it like a normal room, we're gonna be here a while. The boys want to stay as long as possible. They haven't been home in so long and I'll be right across the hallway if you need anything."

Kituna nodded and returned the smile. "Thank you Rufus, good night."

They closed their doors and got ready for bed. Kituna laid her cloak and mask on the table by the bed and started to undress for a shower. She relaxed under the warm water and scrubbed her body clean with a creamy vanilla soap and massaged her scalp and long hair with the cinnamon and Banora apple scented shampoo and conditioner, the mixed aromas tingling her nostrils and easing her troubled thoughts away. She stood under the water for a while, losing track of time, before she wrapped herself in a fuzzy white towel.

She slipped into her thin under tunic and trousers for bed and pulled out her Pyros materia, a specialized fire type materia that her people had used to call a fire beast to engulf their enemies. It's resonating warmth dried her damp hair until she was able to pull it back with a cloth strap and climb under the layers of covers on her bed. She left the Pyros out on her leather gloves by her cloak and mask to keep the chilling room warm and slowly closed her violet eyes. Tomorrow she would make sure nothing happened to the two SOLDIER friends as they passed their final mission. Then she would be able to see to her main concern, Sephiroth. She saw his mint hued gaze and arrogant smile behind his pale silver bangs as she began to drift into sleep. With Genesis' obsession of Loveless in check, he was less likely to abandon Shinra in the Wutai War and therefore less likely to be hell bent on declaring him and his two friends monsters and bring many other SOLDIER members with him. He wouldn't have the troops for Sephiroth and Zack to take care of and that made the reactor inspections irrelevant so that Sephiroth never saw Jenova or the experiments, leaving him to live a normal life with no real troubles.

_Besides being a wall of meat for Shinra_. She thought bitterly. But his cool image in her mind's eye calmed her back into the abyss of sleep, letting her dream of seas of silver and gold and Mako blues and greens.


	4. Complications

**Chapter Four: Complications**

_**Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

Kituna woke up to a knock on her door. She peeked from underneath her covers and blinked her tired eyes into focus. The growing light from the window gave the room a gentle glow.

The knock came again then the door knob started to turn. Kituna quickly hid under the covers not knowing who might catch her as a girl instead of A. Boots clumps across the hardwood floor and came to a stop beside her bed. Her breath quickened until she heard a familiar laugh.

"Kituna, it's me."

She threw back her covers to look up angrily at the blond. He had dressed in a fresh outfit similar to that that SOLDIER dressed in. It was weird not seeing the young president to be not in his usual white coat but she had to admit it wouldn't help if he had to get physical with the rebels.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were before barging in?" she snapped as she sat up and ran her hand through her dark gold hair.

He smirked down at her. "At least I knocked a few times. Maybe you should start locking the door for your privacy. Anyway, the Turks have obtained information that all of the rebel force will be gathering at the warehouse not far from here."

Kituna thought back to when she was encased in Mako, this sounded familiar. Rufus noticed her vacant look and pressed, "What's the matter? Do you know about this already?"

She nodded. "I remember it, but the outcome wasn't good. I just can't remember exactly, it's at the back of my head."

He patted her shoulder. "Well, then we didn't have you, it'll be different this time."

"Don't you remember the outcome? You were there!" she muttered, frustrated.

He shook his head as he started out the door. "Get dressed, we leave in less than an hour." Then he closed the door.

She stood and stretched before stripping of her under tunic and pants to replace them with her black outfit. She scrubbed her face in the antique basin, relaxing slightly at the familiar chore from her childhood, then pulled on her boots, strapping them up and checking her twin knives were sheathed within. She then pulled on her mask and zipped up her cloak, concealing her long hair and feminine features. Before leaving the room she buckled Gin and Kin to her back, adjusting the strap and put on her gloves. She was ready to kick rebel ass but was still bothered that she didn't remember how the confrontation ended.

She shrugged and exited the room, almost bumping into Rufus who was leaning against the wall beside her door. She waved and led her down the winding hallways to the front of the house where the two SOLDIER Second Class waited. Genesis was rolling his shoulders when they came up.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty, did ya sleep well?" he asked with a grin.

Kituna blushed under her veil of metal and looked in the distance where the warehouse was nestled deep in the ravine. "Shouldn't we be going?"

The brunet nodded and waved led them through the small town. People could be seen peeking from behind lace curtains as they passed. They knew what they were about to do. Kituna eyed them warily as some formed crosses across their chest and saying small prayers. She knew some were praying for their well-being while others prayed they would be okay. She prayed for both.

They were soon well within the winding paths of the mountainside, monster cries could be heard as they scoped the trails for food. Genesis had slain a few on their way through the rocky terrain. Rufus and Kituna walked behind the other two who were farther ahead, still uneasy about the situation.

"Well, we know none of us dies on this mission. What could be as bad as that?" Rufus whispered.

"I just know something bad is going to happen this time, what if someone is killed now by me who shouldn't be killed? And I just make this future worse? Father would be disappointed at the very least. And I'd have to live knowing it was because of me this time." She could feel tears coming at the very thought of that kind of future.

Rufus nudged her shoulder softly. "Nothing bad will happen, I swear it. I won't let it. I'm sure my memory will be jogged when we instigate the operation." He offered her a small reassuring smile that made her giggle nervously. She doubted he could keep that promise, especially if it was her that messed up with happy hacking. But she would pretend to not be worried for his sake, in the past future he hadn't had to worry about the outcome and he didn't have to in this future either.

It wasn't long before the warehouse's rooftop became visible over the sparse mountainside trees. Genesis motioned for them to crouch behind a large boulder on a ledge that overlooked the warehouse. Kituna recognized it as the very warehouse that Genesis would use with his copies. She looked over at the tall swordsman. Did he recognize the irony that he might partake in? That the very place where he had started was on the path of his demise, that his homeland would be the place he had searched for all along but would reject him? She turned to her blond companion to see the stern realization on his own face. She patted his hand and shook her head slightly. She had changed that future and would make sure he never chased after Minerva, ever.

Genesis urged them forward to tell of the plan he had formed after he got back from surveying the surrounding area. "A, you and Rufus will enter in the back way. Angeal and I will jump in to corner the rebels. Don't engage until we are all in the warehouse. Understood?" they all nodded and Kituna and Rufus scurried off to climb down the cliff behind the warehouse out of sight.

Rufus ran up to the side of the building and edged along it to the nearest door, Kituna close behind him. He was about to open the door when she restrained him with a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, let me listen to see if it's clear to open." She stood close to the thin metal door and listened closely. She heard a large mass of people scuffling in the center of the structure but no one near the door. She carefully turned the knob and pushed the door open. They both crept in to see their two companions looking in from the open skylight. She gave them a thumbs-up and they leapt through the skylight to land a few feet away. Kituna pointed down at the main floor where the rebels were apparently congregated. He noticed and nodded then motioned for them to fan out along the cat-walks to surround the target.

Kituna reached into her special materia cache and pulled out her Glaice materia, like Pyros it called on a fearsome elemental beast but Glaice had the attribute of ice instead of fire. She felt its chilling power pulse through her leather gloves and got into her position. When Genesis gave the signal for attack, she whispered the spell alive and watched as the icy dragon-like beast surged at the group, devouring the rebels in its freezing jaws. The whole warehouse filled with screams and the battle was over.

She ended the spell and turned back to her comrades who had only slain a handful of the rebels and joined them.

"Where did you get a materia like that?" Genesis gasped.

"A family heirloom…" she explained then stopped short as she felt something, something coming closer. She turned toward the large entrance to the warehouse as the door slowly swung open. Two helmeted SOLDIER Third Class operatives charged in, followed by a tall man in a long black coat. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized it was Sephiroth.

His cool mint hued eyes scanned the small group and rested on the gory scene. A small smile graced his flawless features as he took in the two Second Class. "Well done." His velvety voice caressed Kituna's ears. "You have successfully taken out all of AVALANCHE except for their leader who was on her way to the meeting. But don't worry, I took care of her."

He walked forward with his large Katana and kicked one of the large chunks of ice left behind by Glaice and his cat-like pupils dilated, becoming slivers amongst the pale iris. He took in a sharp breath, grimacing before regaining composure. His cold eyes found the cloaked SOLDIER with a question but he forced himself to turn back to the two saluting SOLDIER Second Class operatives. "Director Lazard is here himself to appoint you as official First Class operatives; you'll find the update of your status in your inbox on your PHS. That is all."

Genesis beamed up at the great general. "Will you be staying in Banora? We don't have to return to Shinra immediately, do we?"

Sephiroth's eyes found Kituna once again. "No, we'll be staying in Banora for the remainder of the predetermined mission time. My request to the President."

The two new First Class SOLDIERs whooped and slapped hands and each other on the back in celebration as Sephiroth made his way to the other two. "Vice President Rufus, I trust you learned something about combat while in action?" his eyes barely glanced over the blond and rested on his hooded and masked companion.

"Yes." Rufus nodded. "This is the secret SOLDIER First Class, A. He has accompanied me on this mission as well as others and has proven to be a great asset. His materia has been as great a help as his sword play."

Mint hued Mako eyes scanned the warrior before him, taking in the cross strapped katanas with their small materia pommels and her various foreign materia set in the straps that crossed her chest. "I'd like a word alone with him if I could." He didn't give them time to oppose as he gripped Kituna's arm roughly and dragged her out into the warm air, the sun almost at its full height in the sky. Kituna could feel a bruise forming around her arm under her shoulder as he led her to a secluded area up a trail leading further into the mountains, stopping at a small stream waterfall.

He turned to her. "What are you? How do you come to possess such materia?"

He recognized the origin of such materia or at least half of it. After all, that was a lineage they both shared. She yanked her arm free, surprising him with her strength. "A family heirloom." She growled, her low voice challenging him to say otherwise.

"That chunk of ice, it reacted with me…it called to me." He whispered.

She didn't know what he was talking about. The ice should have only held traces of her mother and father's power, Sephiroth should've recognized her mother's as genes similar to her's had been injected in him before his birth. "What?"

"What are you?" he reached out towards her mask and she instinctively stepped back which only encouraged him that she had something to hide. "I order you SOLDIER, take off that mask." His voice was laced with an unspoken threat, but Kituna only shook her head. He reached for her again angrily but was sidetracked as a griffon dived down upon them, taking them both by surprise.

Sephiroth reflexively raised Masamune to slay the creature but more assaulted them from all sides.

_Damn_.

He'd been distracted by that boy's mysterious hold on him with his special materia that he hadn't noticed the signs they were entering a griffon's nest. He clearly noticed the molted feathers and droppings as well as the scattered carcasses in the clearing.

The boy was struck from behind as he took down one of the larger males and went limp as two females griffons landed on his back. Sephiroth cursed silently again as he swung Masamune in a wide arch to create an opening and hoist the young boy up by his middle and flee. He tried to return to the warehouse but it was blocked by more griffons and his fighting capability was hampered with the safety of the masked boy in his arms. He turned towards the ravine and sped down the trail until he found a small cave that he threw the boy in and followed after scanning the skies for pursuing griffons. He crawled along the caves expanse until they reached a room where light filtered down from a hole and it was high enough for them to stand if they wished.

He propped the boy against the wall and checked the area for any unseen threats. He didn't want an ambush like with the griffons to happen again. Then he heard a soft clank and turned to see the boy's head had slumped forward causing the black and gold mask to fall to the cave floor. It must have loosened on their fight and flight. Curiosity got the better of Sephiroth and he crossed the distance to the boy and knelt beside his unconscious form. He carefully lifted the boy's chin to see his face and gasped.

It was a girl!

Her delicate features caught him off guard and he flinched away from her. Her body slid down the rock wall at the sudden shift of movement and she sprawled on the floor with her head on her right arm that folded beneath her.

His shocked eyes ran along her prominent cheek bones and long, dark lashes to her straight nose and pale pink petal-like lips and rounded chin. She was stunning. He hesitantly crawled back to her side and gently propped her back into a sitting position, a stray lock of dark gold hair spilled out from her hood. The silver haired general turned crimson and softly tucked the silky hair back into its place.

Her face shifted at his touch, a slight smile spread across her lips and her eyelids fluttered. She was dreaming he realized and didn't take his gloved hand away from her cheek. He felt a warming sensation as she nuzzled it gently.

Kituna was surrounded by swirling currents of mint green when she opened her eyes. She was where the Planet would speak directly to her with her parents. She had been visited this world many times in the past future during her long hibernation. She smiled when she spotted a familiar figure a few feet behind her and she ran into the arms of her mother.

"Mother, I miss you so much." She whispered fondly as her mother patted her hair comfortingly.

"Child, you must tread carefully with the company you have chosen. The balance of the future rests in the relationships you forge."

She looked up into her mother's lavender gaze. "What about the company I've chosen? The SOLDIERs? But they are the ones I'm saving…I don't understand what you're saying.."

Her mother laughed softly. "I do miss our conversations, but my visit is a short one. I am only here to tell you to be careful of your relationships." She gave her daughter one last hug before vanishing back amongst the swirling green currents.

Kituna waited to return to the conscious world but frowned when she was waiting for longer than five minutes. She began to wander around with no intention of going anywhere just something to do until she saw a pillar of the green current form in front of her and reach out as a hand formed and stroke her cheek. She flinched from the hand but smiled instantly at its touch. It sent a tingling feeling up her spine similar to the tingle she got when using her mother's power.

She wrapped her arms around the pillar and pressed her face closer to the warm tingling, craving more. She was soon engulfed by it and that was when she was snapped back into the conscious world. Her dusk hued eyes opened sleepily to see glowing mint green. Her smile crept further up her face until she became further aware of the gloved hand on her face. Her gaze slid down to look at the source of warmth and then widened as the realization that she was exposed before the general of Shinra's army.

She lurched away and covered her face while searching blindly for her mask. She stopped as his hand came into her restricted vision with her mask. She clutched it and looked up at the general.

"Are you going to expose me to the President?" she asked quietly.

He looked down at the young woman before him. She was about his age by the looks of her and she was undoubtedly strong and a force to be reckoned with in combat if she wasn't about to get her face forcibly revealed to the world. He wouldn't take that from the cause against Wutai. He shook his head.

"No. You may be a girl but you're strong. You have powers over magic that I've never seen before, it would be a shame to see you under Professor Hojo's cold unforgiving hands." He replied as he sat against the hard rock wall with a leg stretched out in front of him, the other bent to rest his left arm.

The girl sat opposite him with both her legs out and her hands in her lap fingering that mask with her long fingers. Now that he knew she was female he could recognize the generous yet subtle curves under her leather garments and that black tunic. Black was a color that fitted her well, especially those violet eyes. He caught himself staring and quickly looked away before she could look up from her mask and catch him.

He looked up instead at the hole in the roof of the cave and noticed that the figures that had circled the sky far above were no longer in their vicinity. "The griffons have moved on. We should head back."

Kituna nodded and allowed herself to be led from the cave onto the mountain trail. She fastened her mask back on and followed the silver haired SOLDIER back to the warehouse. Before they reached the large building he asked over his shoulder. "What's your real name, it isn't really A is it?"

She shook her head and said softly, "It's Kituna."

_**Please review!**_


	5. A Beautiful Friendship

**Chapter Five: A Beautiful Friendship**

_**Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

The two dirt smudged SOLDIER First Class operatives found the others waiting for them at the warehouse. Kituna noticed the worried look on Rufus's face and waved reassuringly at him. He quickly composed himself and nodded as they joined the group.

Genesis nudged Angeal. "What were you two up to out there all alone for so long?"

Sephiroth smiled at the cocky SOLDIER. "Discussing how he came to be in possession of such strong materia and then we were ambushed by griffons."

"I was attacked from behind and knocked unconscious," Kituna explained. "Sephiroth saved me and protected me until I was able to travel again."

The red coated man smirked and led them back towards the town. Sephiroth walked beside Kituna who was between him and the Vice President. He looked sideways at her and couldn't help but notice the way she walked. Her hips swung in an eye catching way if you knew she was a she. She felt his eyes on her and turned her head slightly to look through the restricting eye holes of her mask to find him looking at her…hips! She saw him blush a deep crimson as he brought his eyes up to meet hers. She wanted to cross her arms over her chest to hide whatever else he might want to look at but couldn't, it'd draw attention as she was supposed to be a young man not a young woman.

They arrived at the Rhaspsodos house to find Jennet outside with a dish of a sweet smelling cobbler. She waved them over and handed out plates and forks to the somewhat confused men.

"I made some cobbler with some fresh Dumbapples for you working men. You were back quick, did you finish that quickly?"

Genesis sat beside his mother as she served him a square of the steaming cobbler. "We would've been back sooner but the Great Sephiroth and Mighty A were out sight-seeing." He chuckled as the silver haired warrior blushed again.

They ate the desert in silence. Genesis noticed the awkward glances between the general and secret First Class SOLDIER and nudged his childhood friend's foot. "So, what'd you two really do out there?" he asked when his mother was taking the dishes inside.

They both looked up at him confused at the question.

"We already told you what happened." Sephiroth stated.

"You can't expect us to believe that load of shit with all due respect, Sir. You're both the strongest men in SOLDIER, how could you be overtaken by a few griffons?"

They looked at each other. Sephiroth stood and headed to the house. "I think I would like to go lie down."

Genesis nodded, still smiling at the flustered swordsman, and led him into the house.

Kituna stood with Rufus and headed into the apple grove, Angeal looking on with a grin.

_I can't believe they think we were _gay_ together_. She mentally seethed.

She turned around to face the Vice President who had followed her once they were deep in the grove.

"What happened out there?" Rufus asked.

"We walked into a griffon nesting grounds and Sephiroth was questioning what I was because of my heirloom materia and was trying to unmask me…we didn't notice until we were ambushed and I was attacked from behind and knocked out. Sephiroth saved me apparently and I woke up in the cave until we headed back." She hurriedly explained.

Rufus her for a moment and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Did he…see your face? Does he know?"

Kituna thought about lying to him but he deserved to know as much as she did. They were in this mission together and there could be no secrets between them. She nodded. "When I was unconscious my mask fell off and I woke up to him looking at my face."

His expression darkened. "Just looking at your face? Nothing more?"

She thought back and didn't remember feeling anything in the lifestream currents of anything other than touching her face. "He just touched my face with his hand…that was it. The Planet would've told me if he did more."

"You talked with the Planet?" he questioned. "What did she have to say to you?"

"Just to be careful." Maybe he didn't need to share all the confusion and worry with her. She smiled and took off her mask to lie back against one of the tree's trunk. "My mother was there but only for a short while. Then that's when Sephiroth must have found the cave and touched my face. I woke up when he did." She watched the leaves dance above them in the evening breeze as Rufus sat beside her.

"So what do we do now?"

She thought for a moment, closing her eyes and breathing in the aroma of apples and bark. "I dunno, I guess we just go on with our lives and keep Sephiroth from going bonkers and Genesis and Angeal from declaring themselves monsters." She opened her eyes and laughed. "Easy, right?"

Rufus shared the laugh and leaned back against the trunk, closing his dark blue eyes. "And somehow keep our sanity. Saving the future isn't an easy job when you're constantly reminded of the tough times you'll have to go through again or trying to decipher what your actions will change knowing how the future was originally." He mused.

They both jerked up when they heard footsteps. Kituna quickly hid her face and crawled behind the broad trunk. Rufus positioned himself in front of her until he saw the flash of silver hair. He whispered over his shoulder, "It's Sephiroth."

Kituna peeked from under her hood at the approaching swordsman and stood up, grabbing her mask from the grass where she had dropped it. "Sephiroth, what do you want? I thought you went to lie down…"

He stood before them and smiled at Rufus. "Evening Vice President, Kituna. It's a lovely name by the way." His grin broadened to a full out smile as her cheeks flushed. "I trust you are doing well. You should probably head in to get some rest, Rufus. Your father has called you back to Midgar."

Rufus frowned as he remembered that this month was an important one for installing another reactor in a mountain town. "Shit, I forgot about the reactor project for Inuba." He looked over at his female companion who nodded for him to return to the house early. He smiled apologetically and headed back slowly, occasionally looking back over his shoulder at the two SOLDIERs until he was out of sight.

Sephiroth turned to Kituna and smiled as he leaned against the tree Rufus had occupied moments before. "You look troubled, why is that?" he asked lightly.

She stared at the tall swordsman. "I'm fine, thank you."

He raised a silver eyebrow, not believing her.

She walked a few feet away, putting distance between them. "Just stressed about some things I have to do."

"What kinds of things?" he asked with a concerned look on his face.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid that's classified."

"Okay then, what are you?"

She turned to face him. "Why do you want to know?" she asked warily.

"Your 'family heirloom' had a peculiar effect on me. When I touched that piece of ice from that ice materia you used at the warehouse a sharp pain shot up my spine into my head. It's still there only dulled a little. It felt and feels like blades of ice stabbing my body. What were your parents to have powers such as that at their disposal?"

She studied his face, she could see the clouding of pain in his eyes that he had craftily hidden in the presence of the others. "My father was…a Cetra." His eyes widened. "He helped make the materia I keep strapped to me for the ultimate of each element. Pyros, Glaice and Thorus are the fire, ice and thunder elemental beasts." She pointed to the red, blue and purple materia orbs in turn then pointed to the others, "and these are the other beasts Teren of earth, Aquas of water, and Vento of air." She pointed at the brown, indigo and green orbs.

Sephiroth studied them intently. "Why did I feel its power like that? It was like it was calling me or something…" his wide green eyes looked questioningly into her violet ones.

"I don't know…" she lied. In truth she had a pretty good idea. _I bet it was the genes of Jenova reacting to the energies of Shiroi. This is bad, _real_ bad. Forget meeting Jenova and going psycho, maybe _my_ genes is all it would take to knock the swordsman off his rocker._ She fiddled with her mask, not wanting to look into his eyes anymore. They had looked so innocent, and ignorant. She glanced back up at him, about to tell him the truth, but stopped. Whatever she did also affected Rufus and the other two. She would have to ask him first about telling Sephiroth about his parentage.

"It's nice that your parents left you with something they made for you. Were the katanas made by them as well? Is that materia on the handles?" he reached out to touch Gin's silver materia pommel.

"Yes, they were and the materia pommel was made by them too. The silver one on Gin is called Lunas and the gold one on Kin is called Solas. They contain empowering polar energies to the blades."

The swordsman nodded. "They feel like my Masamune, packed with power. I envy you." He chuckled.

Kituna lightened up and spared a laugh with the tall man. She noticed that his face glowed with supernatural beauty when he smiled. She looked away and started slowly back towards the house. Sephiroth fell into step beside her with his hands clasped behind his head. She looked down at her and caught her staring at his chest which was bare besides the cross straps that fastened Masamune behind him under his leather coat. He smiled as her wide eyes traveled up his torso to his face and blushed. When the roof of the Rhaspardos house came into view he whispered, "You might want to put that mask back on, we're almost to the house."

She quickly fastened the metal mask around her head as they cleared the grove. She followed the still smiling swordsman in the house and went down the hall and to her room. When Sephiroth followed her she turned questioningly at him.

"I didn't want Jennet to have to prepare another room, apparently they're really dusty from no use, so I just volunteered to room with one of you. Genesis and Angeal seem reluctant to share a room with me for our little time on the trail so that left you or Rufus. And seeing how Rufus is fast asleep before heading home for business tomorrow…" he hinted with a smirk.

Kituna jerked away but he quickly reassured her. "Don't worry, it will only be for a night. Once Rufus leaves I'll take his room. He won't be needing it anymore with that project in Inuba." She reluctantly accepted and opened her door, locking it behind them.

She shed her swords, mask and cloak and piled them by the side of the bed closest to the bathroom. She sat on the bed and began unbuckling her boots and placed them by the pile of leather garments. Sephiroth watched from the wall silently. "Go ahead and make yourself at home I guess, I'm going to clean myself up." She told him before heading into the bathroom and locking the door behind her. She turned the knobs in the shower and let the water run until she could smell the clean of the steam and then undressed and stepped under the relaxing water. She scrubbed herself down until her skin and scalp tingled from the rough rags and she smelled like vanilla apples and cinnamon, bringing a satisfied smile to her lips.

She hopped out and turned off the water after wrapping herself in a fuzzy towel then dried off. She slipped into her under tunic and pants and pulled her hair back and reentered the bedroom. Sephiroth was stretched out on the opposite side of the massive bed in only his leather pants, his belts, straps, boots and coat draped over and placed by a chair against the wall. He was staring at the ceiling but looked at her as she made her way to the bed. She turned off all the lights except the lamp on the bedside table and place the activated Pyros on her leather gloves again and smiled as it instantly warmed up the room.

"It's still so amazing." Sephiroth commented as the warmth washed over his bare torso.

Kituna found it hard not to stare but somehow found the strength to and curled up under the covers, switching of the lamp so that only the red and orange glow bathed the room in dull light as well as warmth. She felt the covers shift as Sephiroth got under the covers. She was glad that the bed was big enough for three full grown men, it meant there was plenty of space between her and the silver haired swordsman. But as her eyes closed and she drifted into sleep she found herself silently wishing it was slightly smaller.

Sephiroth watched the strange young woman as she fell asleep, her breathing slowing to a steady rhythm that sounded like music to his ears. He paused at this new thought and frowned at the warm fuzzy feeling growing in his stomach. _What is this strange feeling? It's burning through my body, it feels as if my blood is on fire!_ He exhaled loudly and turned to his side away from the strange girl and closed his eyes, willing the thought of reaching over to touch her face one more time from his head. But he couldn't sleep with the memory of her angelic face burned in the front of his mind. He sat up and glanced over at her sleeping figure. She was so peaceful, she wouldn't even notice if he got up and walked over to her side of the bed and touched her face again, would she?

He considered lying back down but his fingers itched with the need to touch her face for some odd reason. Last time he had touched her cheek had been wearing his leather gloves and was overcome with the craving to know how soft her skin really was. He stood quietly and crept over to her side of the bed and reached down to stroke her cheek. He smiled at her gentle features and the smile that spread across them at his touch. His fingertips tingled with the memory of the touch and he suddenly wanted more. He hissed and intake of air and paced silently. He should just go back to bed. But he couldn't suppress the urge. He knelt beside her and stroked her soft cheek and brought his face close to hers, inhaling her scent of vanilla, apples and cinnamon on top of flowers and summer air. He closed his eyes and lost himself in her scent before opening them half way, still mesmerized by her aroma. He brought his face closer and gently placed his mouth against her soft lips and pulled back with a satisfied smile.

He carefully stood and looked down at the Cetra. Her smile had broadened and she snuggled into her downy pillow a little. He silently walked back to his side of the bed and crawled back between the covers. He licked his lips and still tasted her sweet, flower-like taste still lingering there. He closed his eyes and saw her face, radiant with joy as she twirled before him with a secretive smile on her face. He felt himself drifting into sweet oblivion and dreamt of chasing the Cetra girl through vast fields of flowers with apple trees scattered around them.

Kituna was sitting by a body of clear blue water on a soft bed of grass and surrounded by a field of flowers when the sea foam green figure materialized beside her like the current of the lifestream. It stroked her face again like it had when she was in the cave in the mountains. Then it leaned down and brought her to her feet and gently kissed her. She felt exhilarated and danced away from the glowing figure as it chased her through the many flowers. She flashed it a smile that beckoned it forward. They ran through the field for the rest of the night but she only felt more exhilarated instead of tired and as the figure finally caught her and they fell to the soft grass. She felt as if she was complete, she hadn't felt this happy since her life with Shiroi and Yochi before Jenova and Shinra. She smiled as sea foam green engulfed her in warmth and bliss.

_**Please review! =)**_


	6. Trust

**Chapter Six: Trust**

_**Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

Kituna woke up to knocking on her door. She sat up and saw Sephiroth was already up and showered, his hair glistening in Pyros' red glow like liquid moonlight. She smiled to herself and walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Rufus, I'm about to leave but wanted to say goodbye. Can I come in?"

"Of course," she happily replied as she opened the door for her friend. "Come right in!"

Rufus entered the room and visibly flinched at the sight of the tall general leaning comfortably against the wall, smirking at him. His face flushed and he locked the door behind him. "What is he doing here? In your room!" he glared at her.

She stepped back at his outburst and looked innocently from Sephiroth to Rufus. "He was only staying for a night so that Jennet didn't have to clean and ready another room. I don't know what you're so worried about, he's taking your room when you leave."

The blond looked from her to the still smirking SOLDIER. "It's just a little unorthodox for a young man and woman to be in the same room together alone." He glared daggers at the silver haired man still casually leaning against the wall with only his leather pants on. "I advise you not to do it again." He nodded at Kituna and exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What was his problem?" Sephiroth chuckled as he began buckling on his gear and slipping into his coat.

Kituna shrugged and stretched her arms over her head. "I have no idea. If I didn't know any better I'd say he's jealous you got to share a room with me." She giggled at the foolish thought and pulled on her tunic and pants. She buckled on the rest of her gear and exited the room followed by Sephiroth. When they turned the corner to head out to the apple grove they froze when Angeal spotted them, a half-eaten apple paused at his mouth mid bite. Sephiroth shoved Kituna out of his way with a disdainful look on his face.

"Move it! I honestly don't know how you came to be SOLDIER First Class or even SOLDIER, you worthless scumbag!" he stalked out of the house and left Kituna there stunned and Angeal who finally bit into his apple.

"Lover's quarrel?" he joked.

"Why on earth would I love him?" she seethed, her face a vivid red under her mask. "I can easily beat the brains outta that oaf."

Angeal laughed and patted her back, making her lose her balance. "I knew you were straight as an arrow, no gay can fight as good as you do. Or can he?" he winked as he followed her outside.

"Honestly," she mumbled. "What's with guys and calling people gay?" she jumped up on the roof and climbed to the highest point. She could see Genesis practicing swordsmanship in the shaded patch of grass deep in the grove to the left and Angeal who was coming up to join him. She listened intently on their conversation and relaxed slightly as the black haired swordsman explained the hallway scene to Genesis. She then searched the surrounding area for a glimpse of silver, not knowing if she wanted to find it or not.

_Did he really mean what he had said in the hallway? Should I care? Ughh! Father, Mother, Gaia, give me strength_. She sent her quick prayer for guidance then noticed a dust cloud in the distance. Then she saw the familiar flash of silver. She narrowed her eyes and smiled as she realized that Sephiroth was training. She stood and jumped from her perch and leaped from bough to bough and landed on the path not far from the swordsman.

She didn't know why but she felt drawn to the man. Maybe it was Shiroi's genes inside her reacting to Jenova's. She peeked from behind a large rock and watched as the swordsman moved with inhuman grace as he guided his long Masamune in the poses of offense and defense. His eyes were calmly closed and his face was stoic and serene. He was angelic with a hint of danger around the sharp edges. She felt a tingling feeling in her stomach as she continued to watch him but when he finally laid Masamune before his kneeling form she crept to kneel in front of him. She had the sudden urge to reach out and touch his face but restrained her hands to be palms down on her legs.

He opened his eyes and made some kind of gasping noise when he found the young woman seated in front of him. "When did you get here? I didn't hear or feel you!"

She covered her mouth and giggled. "Oh, Seph. You're cute when you're surprised, you know? It softens your intense expression." She closed her mouth and looked away before she embarrassed herself further. _Am I_ flirting_?_ _Is this even called flirting? I never flirted before_. She turned back to find him composed once more.

"What did you call me?" he asked as he sheathed his large katana and stood in one fluid motion.

She rose and smirked up at the general. "I called you Seph. What are you gonna do about it Sephy?" she burst into a fit of giggles and turned away from the bewildered swordsman.

"That's not my name…it's Sephiroth." He stated seriously.

She turned back shaking her head. "No, no, no. It's a _nickname_ silly! Like mine is Kit. It's what my parents used to call me." She smiled up at him.

_Damn_. She had such large violet eyes. It was like looking at a pitiful cute puppy. He smiled down at her.

"Okay, you can call me Seph when we're alone and I'll call you Kit." He leaned down towards her face with a grin, crossing his arms across his bare chest. She was staring again, but this time she was studying his facial features. She reached up and poked his nose causing him to flinch back, much to her amusement.

Her face was suddenly serious. "So you didn't mean that mean stuff in the hallway?"

He shook his head quickly. "Of course not! I just didn't want him to think what it looked like." He explained as if it was obvious.

"What it looked like? What did it look like?" he would've sworn she was joking if it wasn't for her knitted brow and confused look in those large eyes.

"A gay relationship…" he hinted rather bluntly.

She laughed like that was impossible. "Gay! Why would it look like that?" she giggled.

He looked incredulously at her. "They don't know you're a girl. They think you're A." he smiled as it finally clicked for her. "You're so cute when you make your little faces." He muttered.

She blushed. "What?"

"I said you're cute." He winked at her.

"Oh, well, uh…that's nice." She rubbed her hands together.

He decided he might as well take a leap and leaned down to kiss her again. She flinched but didn't pull away. He leaned back to find her blushing an even brighter shade of crimson. He licked his lips and smiled.

"That was nice…" she whispered.

Sephiroth grinned and started walking toward the house. "See ya around Kit."

Sephiroth snapped out of his training trance to find the young lady kneeled in front of him. He flinched and nearly fell back. She waved shyly.

"I noticed you were training so I came to watch…is that okay? I mean it's not like you meant those things in the hallway, it was just to make sure we didn't appear gay to Angeal right? Guys are just stupid sometimes." She laughed. Was she laughing at him? Didn't this already happen?

He frowned at his own foolishness. He must have been day dreaming. He stood and sheathed Masamune.

Kituna studied his features. They were so soft when he was surprised. She stood as well and winked at him as she put her mask back on. "I'm going to go look at the waterfall if you want to come."

This wasn't a dream. He smiled as he watched her walk away toward the town and slowly followed. She skirted around where Genesis and Angeal were sparring and led them past the silent houses of the town and finally he found her kneeling on the other side of the river. He leapt across to lightly land on his feet a few yards from her. He watched as she took off her mask and cloak and walked toward the waterfall, leaving them behind a large boulder she climbed on her way to the giant wall of water. Sephiroth followed.

When he climbed the rocks he found Kituna standing in a cavern behind the waterfall. Her eyes were closed as he walked over to join her. He looked ahead of them at the solid wall of silvery blue water and felt a strange connection with Gaia for the first time in his life.

Kituna glanced across at the swordsman before sliding against the smooth rock wall with her legs bent. She rested her arms and head on her knees and watched the swordsman slide down beside her with a raised knee and his other leg stretched out. They sat there in silence except for the sound of the waterfall.

Sephiroth spoke first, throwing a sidelong glance at the Cetra beside him. "It's a beautiful place."

"It is." She paused for a moment. "Let's address the Giant Horn in the room and discuss what's going on between us please. I can't stand not knowing what it is." She muttered irritably.

Sephiroth peered warily at her. "Well, you aren't ugly, or weak. That's not unattractive though I don't quite follow where you're going with this." He blew his bangs out of his minty vision.

She looked at him with an open scowl. "You don't follow? The Great and Mighty Sephiroth doesn't follow where I'm going with this? Okay, I'll tell you where I'm going with this. You know my secret, only Rufus and I were supposed to know!" she exploded at him.

"Not even President Shinra knows?" he scoffed.

She shook her head in her hands. "No, just me and Rufus and now you."

He studied her for a moment and gently touched her shoulder. She jerked slightly but didn't move it away. "I'll keep your secret. Don't worry."

She knew she couldn't trust Sephiroth completely to keep his word. After all, he had betrayed his friends when they were degrading and the people he'd sworn to protect and the Planet herself. She shrugged his hand from her shoulder.

"How can I trust you? How can I know for sure? So much rides on my secrecy, you have no idea." She smiled dryly over her shoulder at him.

He looked back at the waterfall. "I give you my word as SOLDIER…"

"That isn't good enough!" Kituna interrupted. "I know things you won't know for years, and your word as _SOLDIER_, means nothing." She felt tears sting her eyes and their cool tracks as they rolled down her cheeks.

"And why is that?" he yelled in anger.

"It's _classified_ information! But I need a better guarantee that you won't tell _anyone_…please…Seph…" she pleaded between sobs.

He flinched at the nickname. "Kituna, I swear on my life, that I won't tell anyone. Is that good enough?" he offered her softly.

She smiled and nodded. She bent over as more sobs racked her body. Sephiroth wrapped his strong arms supportively around her shaking torso and felt her lean into him. He led her to sit against the wall and pulled off his leather coat for her to sit on as padding from the hard rock floor. She smiled up at him and mouthed a 'thank you'. He smiled back and nodded as he sat against the wall beside her. She cried herself to sleep and ended up leaning against the swordsman's shoulder. He wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulder and drew her close. She snuggled to his bare chest and a smiled. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on her dark golden hair.

080

Rufus looked out the window of the chopper as the two Turks, Reno and Rude, flew them over yet another mountain range on their way to Inuba. His father sat across from him with the leader of the Turks, Tseng leaving the female of the group Elena to sit beside Rufus. He sighed, yet again, and wished he was back in Banora like the last time he went to Inuba. It was blander than the town of Junon.

He looked over at Tseng who mirrored his boredom. At least Rufus wasn't beside his portly father. He loathed to even call him that, he wasn't much of a father figure. Tseng rolled his dark brown eyes and sighed as the President continued to ramble on about the reactor's plans and other news they had already been aware of.

"Now, that Hojo, a true genius he is. You know he sacrificed his own family for the benefit of the company. Hollander is coming along as well. I only wish Ghast hadn't left when he did but even that helped with Hojo's research."

_The pompous bastard_, Rufus seethed. _If only he knew the results of his crazy scientists he'd be singing a different tune…or choking one more like it, since he was killed in the future he came from. All thanks to his precious scientist's experiments. _His PHS beeped and he flipped it open to find a message from the main group of AVALANCHE. He opened it and read its contents quickly before deleting it. He looked up to find his father had stopped rambling and was smiling at him.

"Who was that, Son? A little friend perhaps? Ha ha ha!" he laughed.

Rufus sighed again and typed out a short reply. He had almost forgotten about this little part of his past. He hoped he wouldn't change the future too much so that certain things didn't happen that needed to happen.

_**Please review! =)**_


	7. A Mother's Love

**Chapter Seven: A Mother's Love**

_**Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

Kituna found herself surrounded by the warm swirls of the lifestream's currents. She reached out and watched it encircle her arm in welcome.

She walked around until she saw a far off dot, a figure standing completely still. She walked slowly in its direction and cocked her head. At first she had thought the figure was her mother or father or even Gaia, but as she got closer and closer to it she saw that she had long brown hair tied back with a mustard yellow scarf wearing a long white lab coat. The figure turned to face her with a forlorn look in her glassy eyes. A small smile spread across her lips and she raised a hand for a tired wave.

Kituna waved back and stood before the woman in bright red heels. She remembered this woman, this woman who had suffered so much. The woman fixed her thin framed glasses and Kituna saw tear tracks down her face. Sympathy washed over her and she hugged the woman. "Lucrecia…"

The woman wrapped her arms around the Cetra and broke down in her arms. "I miss him so much." She sobbed. "What I would give to hold him right now…You're lucky my dear."

Kituna gasped. "What do you mean?"

"Protect him, please, protect him. Whatever happens, protect him. Please…" she sobbed again into Kituna's shoulder.

"I plan on protecting all of them, Lucrecia. I promise."

The scientist let her go and stood back, a smile on her face, shining through her tears. "Tell him. Tell him I love him and am so proud of him. Do that for me, please."

Kituna frowned. She had been thinking about telling Sephiroth of his parents but wanted to wait to ask Rufus. "I can't make that decision on my own. It affects my friend too…"

"He deserves to know." The scientist began to fade back into the currents to wherever she had come from giving no room for an argument.

Kituna knelt and studied her hands in her lap. She was his mother and of course wanted him to know about her and for him to be protected. Mothers always wanted their child to know they loved them. They also rarely looked past themselves and their child at what effects they caused on others.

She looked up at the sound of hollow footsteps in front of her and she saw the silver haired figure of her mother. She looked down with her violet eyes and smiled. She was wearing the dark blue dress and brown heeled boots she had been wearing last with a short sleeve white jacket. She held out a slender hand and helped her daughter back up.

"Mother!" she wrapped her arms around her mother's torso lovingly and smiled when her mother returned the gesture.

"Kit, I've missed you so much. Yochi couldn't make it this time, but he misses you more than anything." She soothed.

Kituna breathed in her mother's scent of cold air and fresh linen as fresh tears filled her eyes. She knew now that no matter how it affected her friend she had to tell Sephiroth about Lucrecia and how he became what he was.

I'll do it Mother. I'll tell Sephiroth about Lucrecia and Hojo…and Jenova."

She felt Shiroi nod. "You should; although, that might lead to you having to tell about yourself. Be careful, darling, I don't want you to be with us so bad that I want you to jeopardize you and your friend. We love you." She gave her daughter one last squeeze and faded away.

Sephiroth was drifting to sleep to the rhythm of Kituna's breathing and the waterfall's dull roar when his PHS beeped. He started awake and looked around for signs of danger until the phone beeped again. He looked down at the peaceful Cetra and flipped open the phone. It was a message from Lazard who had returned to Shinra after the warehouse. He opened it and frowned. They had a spy in Shinra who leaked information to the rebels apparently. He was to be on the look-out for any suspicious persons. A moment later a beep came from Kituna's cloak pocket. She began to stir and he quickly removed his arm from her shoulders.

She pushed against his bare chest and rubbed her sleepy eyes before fishing for the beeping phone and flipping it open. She laughed and closed it before turning to face the swordsman beside her. "Seph," she started, looking thoughtfully at the waterfall. "I have to tell you something. You probably won't believe me or not like it, but you have to know.."

She was interrupted by another beep from Sephiroth's phone. He looked at the caller ID and answered it. "Hello."

"Ah, Genesis, what's the problem?"

There was a pause and the swordsman face darkened. "He's with me, we'll be right there."

He stood and helped Kituna up before shaking his coat out and buckling it back on. Kituna looked worried.

"What's the matter with Genesis?"

"They are under attack by unknown monsters. The town is in grave danger. Come on, we have to get there now before more lives are lost!" he ran out from under the waterfall.

Kituna followed and grabbed her things from outside the cave and pulled them back on as they ran. It wasn't a long run to the town and they stopped when they saw the silvery creatures with glowing green eyes. They weren't human, but they were too strong to be natural.

Sephiroth drew Masamune and slashed at the beasts. He slew two but three dodged completely. He gasped. They were fast! He would have to give it his all and not underestimate his opponent like he usually did for monsters. He saw a flash of black and saw Kituna had beheaded two of the three creatures.

"They aren't normal monsters, be careful." She concentrated and her swords began to glow. They radiated an aura of power, increasing her strength with a shield-like force of energy around her. She slashed her gold blade and five approaching monsters were incinerated. "We need to join up with the other two."

Sephiroth nodded and they ran into the center of town to find Angeal fending a large group from entering the town while Genesis could be seen protecting his house. The monsters looked innumerable and were salivating at the sight of the town and frightened scent of people as they hid within their homes.

Kituna dulled down her power to have more accuracy and turned to Sephiroth. "You help Angeal, I'll help Genesis." When he nodded she leapt onto the roof of the nearest house and ran along the adjacent buildings to jump into a downward slash beside Genesis. The SOLDIER gasped as she landed beside him but continued to hack at the beasts.

"Bout time you arrived. Where's Sephiroth?" he panted.

Kituna slashed and the ten nearest creatures choked as they turned to ashes. "With Angeal. We should push them back so we can all four meet and form a plan on how to take care of them better."

Genesis gaped at her power but nodded consent. "Yeah."

They hacked their way to the path by the grove. The grove was free of creatures though they swarmed on its perimeter. Kituna took the lead so Genesis could recuperate. She slashed again and again; creature after creature fell before they even got near her. But the power was draining her own store of power, the ancient materia lapping at her life force. She had plenty to spare but she didn't know how many of these abominations were there. Genesis walked beside her.

"We're almost there." He watched the calm demeanor of her form as she slashed with one sword, walked a little, then slashed with the other. "Where did you get this power A?"

"I guess it's in my blood." More ash blew in their faces.

"Lucky us, huh?" he laughed. Kituna shrugged. She didn't remember this from the former past at all. But she couldn't ignore the creature's similarity to a certain general. They were silver with sea foam colored eyes that glowed hungrily. She remembered that look from his former past as the former general hungered for the Promised Land. She shook the image from her mind and focused on slashing the foul creatures away; slashing away that memory. She saw the long haired general as he too dominated his battlefield. Masamune rang out in the air its song of death followed by a chorus of slicing flesh and thudding bodies. He moved with precision as he turned from one enemy to the next, not letting them have the upper hand over him. His eyes were slits as they guided his masterful hands with their deadly extension of steel.

"Sephiroth!" she called over the inhuman roars and screams of the monsters. "Push them back to the far trail that leads to the ravine. I can take it from there."

He looked like he was about to protest but nodded and lashed out faster with Masamune. The creatures were beginning to see they couldn't win against the group and some began to rush from where they had come, crawling and clawing their way past their unrelenting comrades.

Once they were finally together, Kituna motioned for Angeal and Genesis to stay back. "You go make sure the town is safe. We can handle the rest."

The tired men thankfully nodded and ran to check on their hometown. Sephiroth turned to the smaller Cetra beside him. "Do you really think you can handle them yourself?"

She nodded. Then she cut off the power she was using from the materia on her swords and sheathed them both.

"What are you doing?" Sephiroth yelled as she stepped in front of him.

"Stand back." She warned and raised her hands far above her head as if in offering. She felt the gateways of energy opening up within her body and flow through her palms. Her eyes glowed completely bright purple and her mouth opened in a silent scream of agony as the raw power raged through her body. Sephiroth staggered back but reached out a hand towards her. She lowered her hands to her sides and moved them in circular motions so that she levitated high above the tree tops. She swept her hands across the area and pillars of bright light energy rose from the ground and the air was filled with the dying screams of the monsters. She lowered herself slowly when the area was completely clear and staggered forward.

Sephiroth ran towards her and caught her before she hit the ground. He picked up her limp body and held her in his arms as he stood. Her eyes were closed and she had stopped glowing. "Kituna?" he asked, worried. When she didn't answer he lowered his ear to her chest and listened. She was sleeping! He laughed and smiled down at her. It must have taken all her energy to save the town and the others from the creatures. He turned and headed back to the town to his friends. His vision flared with silvery light and he lost his balance before catching himself. He was breathing heavily and he felt strained. His gaze fell to the sleeping Cetra in his arms. Was she doing this to him even when she was asleep? He wondered at who she really was and how she possessed such power for someone her age. The only person he knew with a lot of power her age was him, but he was trained for battle since he was eight.

_What is your past? What are you? Where did you come from?_ He asked her silently but she continued to sleep. She leaned her cloaked head against him and he blushed as her breath tickled his chest and continued walking toward Banora. She was an enigma to him.

Genesis and Angeal were waiting by the grove with tired grins on their faces and munching on apples. "The Great Sephiroth returns!" Genesis cheered. "Oh, what's up with A?" he noticed the sleeping bundle in the general's arms. "What happened to him? He's not dead is he?"

Sephiroth shook his head. "S-He just spent a lot of energy to kill all those…_things_ in one swoop."

Genesis's mouth dropped. "In one move he killed them _all_? Is that even possible?"

"It's possible." Angeal said. "The question is if it's humanly possible."

Sephiroth saw her glowing eyes again and the silent scream on her face flash across his mind. Was she human? She certainly appeared human. But that power, it wasn't human. He reached down and closed the bottom part of her mask so that her mouth was once again concealed. He couldn't remember her opening it. It must have opened when she was unleashing all that power.

"He just needs some rest, and his materia is very strong. His family must be a family of powerful people." He started towards the Rhaspardos house.

"They must be gods!" Genesis exclaimed as he and Angeal followed Sephiroth.

Sephiroth noticed the townspeople had gathered at the Rhaspardos house when he exited the shadowy trail. A worried looking old man spotted him first and raised his clenched hand in welcome. The group cheered with smiles on their faces and two children raced towards the SOLDIERs and danced around them.

Genesis knelt beside the children and ruffled their hair while they asked if the monsters were gone for good and if he defeated an unreal number by himself.

Sephiroth stepped past the crowd of townspeople only giving them a nod and smile as he headed into the house. He greeted Jennet who was sitting in the front room, probably waiting for her son, and went to their rooms in the back overlooking the ravine where they had just been moments ago.

He laid Kituna in her large bed and took off her mask. He set it down on her bedside table and sat beside her. Her face was completely void of any emotion, no hints of smiles or glistening of tears. She was peaceful; she was in a blissful state of mind at this moment, away from the worries of life and trials of battle. He envied her. He had seen battle his whole life to the point he reveled in it, the point where he thirsted for his enemy's blood to spill at his hands. But she, she was able to get away from it all with brute force and calm recession. His gloved hand glided across her cheek and down to her jaw. She had wanted to tell him something important. He wondered what that was, what could she possibly know that would be important to him? He sighed. He wouldn't know until she woke up.

He stood and crossed the large room to look out the window.

"What were those things?" he mused aloud.

He shed his coat and gloves and laid them on the table in the corner of the room and took of his boots, placing them beside the table with Masamune. He flopped down beside Kituna on the bed and stared at her sleeping form. He could barely notice the rise and fall of her chest she was so peaceful. He closed his eyes and realized he, too, was tired from the fight. He felt himself being pulled into the dark void of sleep and found himself surrounded by the field of flowers glowing gold in the sunlight. He smiled and looked around for the Cetra who normally resided amongst the sweet smelling blossoms but instead found no one in sight.

He frowned and walked to a nearby pool and sat by the water as it lapped at the smooth rocks. He peered into the azure water and found not his reflection but a woman's. He gasped in shock and so did the woman, mirroring his expression and movement. He studied her face. She had silver hair and violet eyes. Violet eyes. Like Kituna, only these eyes stared back at him with cold indifference and malice laced with hunger, a hunger that could never be sated.

_**Please review! =)**_


	8. Loveless

**Chapter Eight: Loveless**

_**Found a spelling mistake that I fixed in all the chapters. Felt a little embarrassed by it when I took time to go back over the pages and recognized it ^^. Anyway….Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

Kituna woke to find Sephiroth's sleeping face close to her own. She slowly sat up and stretched before standing and looking down on the general. He looked so peaceful and relaxed.

Her hand traced his sliver brows and down the ridge of his perfect straight nose. His features were perfect. She sat beside him and studied him more carefully. He was void of any kind of blemish and had no signs of facial hair or ever having facial hair and his skin was soft to her touch. His bone structure was fine and long but strong and his lips were thin and his cheekbones defined on his angled face.

She spread her hand on his broad, bare chest and traced the lines of his well-defined muscles. She wondered if the rest of him was as toned and defined as his face and torso. His arms were certainly impressive. Her gaze ran down to his leather belt with the SOLDIER insignia and his tight yet yielding leather pants. She felt the oiled fabric and smiled at how soft it was to her fingers. The slumbering general turned slightly in his sleep at her touch.

She retracted her hand and peeked back up at his face to see his eyelids fluttering as he dreamed. She settled back against the headboard and brushed his long, silvery bangs from his face and ran her hands through the silky strands.

_Knock, knock, knock_

She looked up at the noise and was about to answer the door when she remembered she wasn't a girl and fastened her mask back on her head, concealing her face. She opened the door to find Genesis.

"A! I see you're up and feeling well. We were sorta worried when Sephiroth brought you back from the ravine unconscious in his arms. Speaking of the general, have you seen him? He isn't in his room…" his sky blue eyes found the sleeping man in question on the bed behind Kituna. Asleep, in her bed, in her room. His open mouth formed a smile as he laughed.

"Sooo, do anything fun lately?" he asked with a wink.

Kituna cocked her head until he gestured at the sleeping man…in her bed…in her room…she wasn't a girl…OMG! She blushed when she connected the obvious dots.

"No, I just woke up and found him asleep on my bed. It's _not_ what it looks like! I swear!"

He only laughed harder. "To think, the mighty SOLDIER swings that way…his fan group will be devastated when they hear. And what about your fan group? You got one, don't ya? Bet girls throw themselves at you with your slender form and all that power you got."

She knew he was just joking but she still felt flustered at him commenting on her form and how she looked even as a guy. "None that I've heard of. And he doesn't swing that way! He was just stressed like I was from the ravine. Was there something you wanted?" she asked agitated.

He steadied his breathing and smiled. "Yeah, Lazard said we have to report back to Midgar so if you don't mind waking up the general we can board the copter in the next half hour." He smiled again and sauntered off. She wanted to punch him in his arrogant head but instead turned to roughly awaken the sleeping Sephiroth.

He jumped at her rough shaking and rubbed his eyes. "What is it?" he mumbled. He had the weirdest dream although he couldn't remember anything from it.

"Lazard has called us back to Midgar. We board the copter within the half hour." She stated dryly.

He studied her posture, rigid and tense, something was bothering her. He stood and crossed over to strap on Masamune and pulled on his boots and coat, buckling the middle buckle. "What's the matter?"

"Genesis saw you on my bed is all." She stated as she did a run through of all her materia and checked her knives in her high boots.

He watched her. "He really thinks we're gay now doesn't he?" she nodded with an exasperated sigh. "Then we'll have to prove him wrong."

She looked up at him questioningly. "How are we going to do that?"

"When we're in Midgar, you'll have other places to go. You can be A and Kit at the same time. He can meet the real you and I can find someone else. One of my fan girls or something."

"Why would he have to meet the real me? What would that prove about A's sexuality?" she asked, confused.

He blushed. He wasn't quite sure why he'd proposed that. "I dunno, maybe you could be A's sister and tell him he's not gay?" he suggested.

She paused on her way to the door and nodded. "Okay, after whatever Lazard wants to see us about we can give that a try."

He exhaled and mentally wiped away invisible sweat. _That was close._

They headed out of the house to meet Genesis and Angeal saying their goodbyes to the Rhaspardos' and the townspeople before they boarded the copter. Sephiroth and Kituna waved goodbye and were boarding when a young woman ran and hugged Kituna, another flung herself against Sephiroth.

"You'll come back soon, won't you?" the thin brunette asked Kituna with a shy smile. Her arms were around her middle, any higher and she would've realized what she really was grabbing onto. "You were so brave fending off those horrible creatures earlier the other day. It'd be a shame if you weren't here if they came again." She winked and Kituna carefully detangled herself from the apparent fan girl. She boarded and turned back to see Sephiroth murmuring to the fan girl who had flung herself at him. Kituna sat down beside Genesis and buckled herself in while Sephiroth fended off five other girls and buckled into his seat beside Angeal. She could hear the cries of fan girls calling their names and shouting confessions of love over the other townspeople's goodbyes.

Genesis looked from Kituna to Sephiroth across from her with a thoughtful look on his face. She mumbled an 'I told you' and looked out the window as they soared over the mountains and trees, the waters of rivers and dark blue lakes glistening far below.

As they neared Midgar, the water became browner and less frequent and the shrubbery and forests became less thick and sparse. Nature was replaced by industry and city structure. From above it was evident that Shinra was consuming all life on the Planet wherever it touched, keeping only little parts of nature for studies in their labs and for resources for their projects. It disgusted her but she had to endure it, it was a way of life now and the people were dependent on its products no matter how much some of them protested its results and faults. They needed it as much as the next person. True the company produced monsters while nature had been naturally producing monsters for centuries. Kituna's ancestors had used many of their powers protecting the then smaller human race from those monsters and healed them with their power. Genesis and Angeal had fallen into a light sleep and Sephiroth nudged her booted foot with his.

"Hey, A, I didn't mean anything with what I told that girl back there in case you were wondering." He whispered.

She looked at him and smiled behind her mask. "I know. It was to prove a point that we weren't gay for each other." She chuckled.

Soon after, they landed on the top of the Shinra building's landing pad and followed the Turk pilot to the Director's Office in the lower level of the Shinra building open to SOLDIER operatives and scientists. When they entered the office Lazard turned to greet them.

"Thank you Veld, you may go. Genesis, Angeal, Sephiroth, A, I heard about the unexplained attack by those monsters on Banora." He commented when the leader of the Turks left the room. He looked pointedly at Kituna. "And how you took care of them. A, you are a hero to those people. I heard you disposed of all of them without leaving any remains. Is this true?"

She nodded stiffly. "They were tainted with a dark energy so I permanently disposed of the bodies, even the ones Genesis Angeal and Sephiroth had felled…Sir.." she added at the end of her report awkwardly.

He nodded with a calculating look in his eyes. "Alright, you are dismissed to your quarters. A, yours are on the same floor as Sephiroth's, Genesis, and Angeal, yours are too. Sephiroth will show you the rooms." He waved them to exit.

They started toward the door but Sephiroth hung back and turned toward the Director. "Director, what were those things?"

"We don't know, but we are looking into the area as to what may have created those creatures and will report anything important to you or the President." Lazard answered.

Sephiroth nodded and led the group to the elevator where he punched one of the higher levels on the button pad and led them to their new rooms. Sephiroth's room was number 1 on the floor. He walked down the hall to a door along the corner of the wall and handed the key card to Genesis, then down along the next wall to door number 3 and handed that key card to Angeal then headed back to the wall where the elevator was and handed the card key to room number 4 to Kituna.

"You can open the doors by swiping the card or you can manually key in a personalized code into the keypad after swiping the card and selecting the 'Code' feature on the pad in the room." He informed them. Then he headed to his own room, typed in a code on the keypad swiftly and stepped inside with the door hissing shut behind him.

Genesis and Angeal headed to their rooms as well, still stifling yawns from their nap in the copter, and the hisses of their doors echoed throughout the floor. Kituna swiped her own card and entered her room. She immediately changed the code on the keypad so she could type in 0777 for the door to open. Short and simple and with meaning, it was a number of high regard to her father's people, the Cetra. She then took of her mask and shed her cloak, dumping them with her gloves in a large cream colored velvety chair. She sat in an identical chair across the glass coffee table and took off her boots and let her toes sink into the plush cream carpet. Everything in the room was cream or light brown with hints of blue and green with an occasional flash of red but mostly natural colors. The bed was as large as the one in the Rhaspsodos' house. The furnishings however were very modern. She inspected the room to find a large TV screen built into the wall of the sitting and dining areas and a modernized kitchen completely furnished as well with stainless steel appliances and a full sized refrigerator and freezer each. She marveled at what all this luxury must've cost the company and how the rooms just sat up here, waiting for a tenant to be assigned to it.

She headed over to the bathroom and took in the advanced settings on temperature gauges and soap and shampoo dispensers with rough scrubbing cloths and plush drying towels. She opened the linen closet, curious as to its contents since the towels were on a chrome thin bar shelf by the shower door. She found hanger upon hanger of a cream colored silk robes. They were all fitted to her body size and there were two sizes, a looser fitted one like for a man and slimmer ones for a woman's body. She found a white stationary folded with Rufus's signature signed on it, quieting her fears that someone outside the two men knew her secret. She decided she needed a shower and was rather excited to try it out and wear one of the soft robes.

She undressed and turned the gauge for the water to be relatively hot and as the water shot down onto her skin she adjusted the temperature so that it was perfect then selected her favorite shampoo scent. She noticed Rufus had installed that the two dispensers were filled with the Banora apple scented shampoo from the Rhaspsodos' house and the conditioner of cinnamon and the body gel was of the delicate vanilla. When she was done showering away the grime of the cave and ravine battle she dried off with one of the white plush towels and tied one of the more fitting robes around her waist.

She found small portioned bags of what smelled like blackberry tea and boiled some water in the teapot from the shelf above the stove. She poured the steaming water over the bag in a mug and steeped it, stirring the water with the bag by the string.

She sunk into the cream colored couch and relaxed inside and out in its cushioning puff and sipped her tea slowly. She was drifting into a sedated state when there was a knock on her door. She crossed over to look at the small screen by the keypad to see Sephiroth standing there in the hallway, alone. She pressed the button to open the door and stood to the side as he entered.

He looked around and smiled. "I see you have settled in. How are you liking it so far?"

She led him to the couch and sat down, patting the cushion beside her for him to join her. "It's okay, though I'm still a little dwarfed by the luxury here. I had very little back with my family." She answered when he had settled beside her.

"I hope you get used to it. Now that you're a known First Class, you're going to get a very big pay check. Well, mainly because of your strength and promise to the company. You'll be paid more than the Turks." He smiled at her as she sipped her tea with wide eyes.

"So, did you just come to see how I was getting settled or is there something more?" she looked at him suspiciously with a smirk.

He looked around some more as if he was really interested with the room although she was sure that it was the same as his room when he first got it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She scoffed. "If you wanted to stare at a SOLDIER First Class's room you could've stayed in yours. Come on, tell me."

He draped his arms along the back of the couch and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "When are we going to reveal your true self to Genesis?"

She contemplated the answer for a moment before asking the swordsman on her couch. "Well, what events are coming up that the public would be interested in?"

He thought for a moment and answered, "There's a showing of Loveless we could all go see. He mentioned something about that back in Banora when he was shoving those apples down my throat."

Kituna laughed at the image of a zealous Genesis shoving Banora apples and juice down the general's throat and wondered why he hadn't stabbed Genesis then and there. "That's perfect! I can meet up with you guys there and I can act like a stranger and everything!"

"Okay, the showing's tomorrow so I'll go buy tickets now and give you yours in the morning when the others go down to the cafeteria for breakfast. Good night." He waved and exited her apartment.

She washed out her mug and turned off the lights, and set out Pyros and tapped it so the room filled with a fiery glow and warmth. She curled under the covers and feel into a gentle slumber.

Kituna woke up and stretched. She sat up and started to untie her robe so she could dress when she saw silver and black out of the corner of her eye. She pulled the robe tight and glared at Sephiroth in surprise. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"I saw your code change when I visited last night. You forgot to close the window on the touch pad." He smiled smugly as he nibbled on a piece of buttered bread. "You should be a little more careful or Angeal or Genesis will be finding out your secret in no time." He held out a slip of thick rip paper no bigger than his thumb and handed it to her. "Your ticket to the show of Loveless, Miss Kituna." He flourished a bow as he presented it and she couldn't help but smile.

"Why thank you Mighty General Sephiroth. I cannot wait." She said in a snooty accent with a courtesy. Then she smiled. "Now get outta here so I can get dressed. I'll meet you in the hallway." She checked the time on her digital clock and the ticket. "We got half an hour to get everybody there."

Sephiroth nodded and exited the apartment. She watched the screen on the pad that showed him whistling back to his apartment directly across the hallway. She quickly pulled off her robe and went to her closet in the back of her closet where Rufus had hung feminine clothes for some reason. She flipped through the dresses until she came across a pale yellow sun dress with a white leather high-cut long sleeve jacket. She then scanned the shoes until she found a pair of boots identical to her black ones but in white leather to match the jacket. She pulled them on and buckled the two straps before fitting her knives into them. They weren't the black knives she had sheathed in her black boots but a white pair she had formerly carried on the scabbards of Gin and Kin. Although they were just as powerful as their black twins she just didn't use them much as black always blended in with shadows and the white blades had been a gift from the Cetra people. They had etched the healing runes into the blades so as well as killing with their edge they could cure, restore and revive. She smoothed out the dress and pulled her dark gold hair back in a white cloth ribbon allowing two long locks to fall to either side of her face with her bangs that fell across her dusky eyes. She applied a little blush and smeared on some vanilla lip gloss and fastened a white leather belt around her waist just at the jacket's hem line and made sure her materia were stashed away safely in the cloth pouch. She twirled in the mirror and checked the clock. It was time to meet Sephiroth!

She slipped her key card into the materia pouch and exited the apartment. Sephiroth was leaning against the wall by the elevator door. He opened his eyes and looked her up and down, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Very feminine, I see Rufus and I think alike." She cocked her head quizzically. "That you'd look great in leather. But of course you already do although I don't think that coat you always wear as A is as flattering as that jacket." He explained.

She blushed and punched the button for the elevator. They went to the ground floor and exited to sector 5, Loveless Avenue. Kituna wondered away to get in line for the good seats at the theater and she quickly heard Angeal and Genesis approaching with Sephiroth. They were right behind her in line so she could easily hear their conversation.

"So where's the mighty A?" Genesis laughed. "You'd think the hero of Banora would want to celebrate his popularity with him finally being brought out from the shadows of Shinra! He must have a lot of fan girls by now with the power he displayed." In fact there was a group of girls to the left chatting about a certain A. Maybe she should join the group and bring saucy information about her alter ego. She smiled at the thought. She'd probably join the other major fan groups too. Then she heard Genesis behind her again. "Hey, Sephiroth, you see that blond?" he whispered. Kituna pretended not to hear.

Sephiroth whispered, "Who can't? She's like a miniature sun in that dress."

She cocked her head. Was he saying she radiated light and glowed or that she was big and fat? She listened closer as Angeal voiced his opinion. "That girl's fine. Why don't we ask her politely to sit with us, eh? See who she likes most out of us." He suggested.

She turned as a gloved hand tapped her shoulder, it was Genesis. "Hello there, Genesis Rhaspsodos, SOLDIER First Class." He introduced himself. "My friends Angeal and Sephiroth, also First Class."

She mentally giggled but kept an emotionless face. She looked from man to man in the group with a wide eyed yet uninterested expression. "So?"

Genesis blanched and stuttered, not knowing what to say to that, but she saw Sephiroth turn away to hide the laughter on his face. Angeal laughed and covered his mouth with his hand at her comment.

She smiled at them. "I'm sure you guys are somewhat important though. She patted Genesis' arm reassuringly. "Maybe we can sit bay each other for the show and maybe hang out after." She giggled as the swordsman turned red in the face in embarrassment.

They offered their tickets and took their seats as the crowd began to spill in and the lights dimmed around them. Angeal took the first seat followed by Genesis, Kituna, and then Sephiroth. Sephiroth gave her a quick thumbs up and smiled at her. She smiled at him and batted her eyes at the red coated SOLDIER on the other side of her but when he blinked she returned to staring at the stage.

A man stepped forward on the stage and projected in a deep voice the Prologue:

When the war of the bests brings about the world's end,

The goddess descends from the sky.

Wings of light and dark spread afar,

She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting.

The spotlight faded then relighted on another man stepped forward with two others dressed in soldier's regalia. The one in the spotlight rang out:

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess,

We seek it thus, and take it to the sky.

Ripples form on the water's surface,

The wandering soul knows no rest.

The tallest of the three stepped forward now and stood above the others as the shortest of the three knelt in feigned pain. The same man who spoke before cried out to the audience:

There is no hate, only joy,

For you are beloved by the goddess.

Hero of the dawn, healer of worlds,

Dreams of the morrow hath shattered soul.

Pride is lost,

Wings stripped away, the end is nigh.

He shot an envious glance at his taller comrade and grimaced behind his joyous words. The smaller comrade was lifted away by a foreign looking woman who he looked at adoringly. The man continued but at the smaller of his friends:

My friend, do you fly away now?

To a world that abhors you and I?

All that awaits you is a somber morrow,

No matter where the winds may blow.

My friend, your desire,

Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess.

Even if the morrow is barren of promises,

Nothing shall forestall my return.

Now the hero had returned and stood before the pained soldier as the soldier spoke:

My friend, the fates are cruel,

There are no dreams, no honor remains.

The arrow has left the bow of the goddess,

My soul, corrupted by vengeance,

Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey,

In my own salvation,

And your eternal slumber.

Legend shall speak,

Of sacrifice at world's end.

The wind sails over the water's surface,

Quietly, but surely.

The friends parted as a blond goddess descended and the three friends reunited with the power of the goddess, Minerva, smiles on their faces.

The lights dimmed again and all the actors lined on the stage and bowed as the audience stood and exploded in applause.

Kituna really did like the story. It told of the life of three friends torn apart by war as they searched for a common desire. She pitied them really. They had thrown their lives away and grown apart, becoming enemies instead of friends.

Genesis looked from the stage to the girl clapping beside him and did a double take. Her hair was like a ray of sunlight and her eyes like spots of the twilight sky. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

_**Please review! =)**_


	9. In the Arms of an Angel

**Chapter Nine: In the Arms of an Angel**

_**Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

The group sat on the edge of the circular fountain in the middle of Loveless Avenue.

"So, what's your name?" Genesis grinned as he flipped his bangs from his eyes with a red gloved hand.

Kituna grinned back, he was such a flirt! "My friends call me Kit."

He smiled as he stood and offered his arm. "Would you like to join us for the night, Kit?"

She accept his arm and leaned up before saying, "You call me Kituna." He blushed and Angeal and Sephiroth laughed, Sephiroth nudging his friend in the shoulder at the shot down. "So where are you gentlemen going?"

"Angeal, didn't you want to try that one restaurant down in Sector 7 or something?" Genesis asked as he looked around at the other people as they exited the theater.

Kituna clasped her other hand on her hand around his arm and smiled at the three of them. "Lead the way, I'm up for a bite to eat."

Angeal led them down them through alleys and pathways full of people. People who knew the heroes of the Banora Incident, as it was called now. The men covered their faces as best as they could as they cut through a group of women and young girls. Kituna couldn't help giggling when she saw a small teenager recognize Genesis as she studied him further. The red head tentatively stepped in front of them and gasped at their eyes, the Mako glow giving them away.

"You're _him_, you're Genesis! Missy, it's _him_! Eeeeeee!" she clapped her hands to her mouth as she jumped up and down shrieking like that as her blond bob-cut friend joined her. And like a match in a room of helium, the whole crowd of women erupted in screams, gasps and OMGs of various degrees of volume. The three men then stopped shielding their faces, which resulted in more excitement, and began running. Kituna giggled the whole time as she was dragged along beside Genesis.

They tried to lose the girls around a bend that led to the station but more women had joined the mob of estrogen. Genesis glanced down at Kituna as she jogged beside him. "Sephiroth, we can lose them but we'll have to carry Kituna." The silver-haired swordsman nodded and Genesis scooped up the surprised Cetra. She smiled and laughed at the men's current situation and wrapped her arms around Genesis' neck as they ran into the shadows of the Slums and dove behind a large heap of concrete and steel. Genesis let Kituna down and peeked above the pile of rubble to see the mob stop and look around before turning up their noses and leaving. He sat against the pile and sighed.

"That was close. I didn't know First Classes got this much attention! I thought Second Class was as good as it was going to get, right Angeal? Remember those twins that snuck into our quarters?"

The other SOLDIER instantly smiled and they both nudged and laughed at the memory while Kituna let go of Genesis' arm and stood up, dusting herself clean. The others rose too and they rejoined the streets of the Slums. Bums lined the piles of trash while tired women hurried home with bags of groceries dodging children as they played. She walked with her arms crossed behind her back and kicking invisible debris with her booted feet. Sephiroth watched her with a small smile as his friends took places on either side of her. They were falling all over her, even though they had just had a whole mob of horny women who worshiped the air the men breathed they were falling for the dark blond before them. He could understand why, or at least why he was attracted to her. It was like an unseen force was driving him toward her, whispering what they could do together, both in and out of the bedroom. She was powerful that was for sure, but just how powerful? Sephiroth certainly didn't want a weak girl who couldn't fend for herself, but he didn't want to be the weak one in the relationship with a woman. She had another power too, besides the physical stamina and swordsmanship. She had the magic of an ancient power that sang the true powers of the land. Her materia was like none he had ever heard of or seen on Gaia. She was shrouded in mystery, as A and as Kituna, and that was what made her the woman he wanted out of thousands. He wanted to know everything about her, everything there was to know, every perfection and beautiful flaw that made her her.

Angeal pointed to a shadowy building with a poorly lit up neon sign where 'Angel's Gate' could barely be made out in red letters. They opened the door and stepped into its more impressive inside where the paint was fresh and the booths clean and secretive. The carpet was dark red and the curtains that kept out the gloomy atmosphere of the Slums were a darker shade of crimson. They were led to a table by a tall brunet who looked like he'd trade his grandmother for a handful of gil and handed menus. Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth all ordered the House Special for their beverage while Kituna took a Cherry Kiss, one of the more delicate drinks the bar offered.

She mulled over the rest of the menu's items as their waiter went to collect their drinks and pursed her lips. She liked the sound of the Hot Foot, chocobo tossed in a spicy sweet sauce with roasted new potatoes, and it was only for ten gil. Not bad given what the Grand Horn plank steak cost at a whopping 150 gil, considering they were in the Slums and all.

She looked up to see all the men staring at her and she blushed. "Have you all decided what you wanted?" she asked to break the silence.

They nodded and place down their menus. Angeal cleared his throat. "So where are you from?"

She thought about all the far off cities in the middle of nowhere and picked one she knew didn't get much Shinra attention. "Dirkna, on the cliffs by the Saphrine Sea."

Genesis grinned at that knowledge but Sephiroth only raised an eyebrow. She was going to ask him about that later.

"What are you doing all the way over here?" Genesis asked.

"Oh, umm, just visiting the big city. I have family here but they don't care where I go or what I do." She finally answered. The waiter deposited their glasses on the table and Kituna thankfully sipped hers, welcoming the bitter and sweet liquid as it washed over her tongue. But they wanted to know more. She rolled her eyes as she closed them when Genesis popped out another question.

"What is your hobby?"

"Dancing." She said with a wink. "What kind of dancing?" he asked with a smile at his buddies. "Well, I'll have to show you won't I?" he choked on his drink slightly and smiled. "That you would. When will this happen?" he asked eagerly.

She nudged his foot gently with hers. "When the mood strikes me, till then you'll just have to be patient."

Angeal gulped a mouthful of his drink. "What do you do for fun?"

"I like to ride my ferno." She replied after a moment's thought. She didn't see what showing Sno to them would harm.

"What's a ferno?" he asked with curious eyes. _Wouldn't he like to know?_ She thought with a giggle.

"It's a creature that's very rare and very dangerous if not tame. And even then it's only safe if the tamer wishes it to be. They stay extremely close to their masters and will protect them at no cost unless the master is weak, some bind themselves to someone's soul or to their family. If they are that close to a particular master they can be found as an object on that person's body or a tattoo like marking." She informed while jiggling her arm for them to see the band around it. It glowed faintly in response and warmed her skin.

"How is it dangerous?" Genesis asked as he looked at it closely.

"It uses a blue fire that burns and freezes, causing excruciating pain to the victim. But it's a very useful form of transport as well as combat. It also has the ability to shape shift if it so pleases, something the master doesn't always control which can tell if the creature shifts so that it doesn't do its master's bidding. In a case such as that, the master is at Death's doorstep just knocking for entrance." She joked, although very serious.

The waiter returned from wherever he had inconveniently disappeared to and yanked his pad and pen from a large pocket on his apron. "What can I get you gentlemen?" he drawled with a bored expression.

Sephiroth and Angeal both ordered the sautéed chocobo and rice and Genesis ordered the cactaur stew, odd choice in Kituna's opinion but she ordered in a happy voice the Hot Foot. When the waiter had copied down their orders he whirled back around to wind through the tables of the half empty room.

Sephiroth nudged Genesis when the waiter was gone. "Going on a diet? Why'd you get cactaur soup? Where's the meat?"

The red coated warrior waved him off. "Not in the mood for _cheap_ meat. Besides, cactaur is very delicious while chocobo meat is a little gamy for my taste." He said matter-of-factly.

Kituna giggled. That or he didn't want a chance at a gay joke to be directed at him! Of course, she noticed none of the men even cracked a joke about it. _Maybe because they are trying to impress me now that I am a girl_… She thought to herself.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes then turned back to the female at the table. "Can we see your ferno?" he asked. He wanted to know the beast more than ever since it was rare and dangerous and the fact that she was the master of such an elusive creature.

She smiled and looked back down at the simple band. "Sure, after we eat."

Their food was brought out and they ate in silence as the men adored the conscious blond. She wished they would talk some more, wasn't there anything else they wanted to know or did they just want to ogle her? She mentally sighed and wished the absent blond Vice President was there to talk to her. She found herself wondering where he was at now.

How long will the trip take to get to Inuba?

How long would he stay there?

How long until he got back?

She chanced another glance around the small table to find two pairs of Mako blue and one pair of Mako mint green eyes looking at her as they ate. Their eyes didn't move from her. It was either her face or her body and she found herself a little creeped out but then considered all the fun she could have with her new fan boys. She smiled as the thoughts began filling her head and chuckled a bit. All ears were once again on her and eyes alert as to what made her laugh. She cleared her throat and looked up at them.

"Uh, guys? Your staring is a little bit obvious."

They blushed and finished their meal looking at their plates much to the relief of the blond.

When the waiter saw they were finished he hurried over and handed them the bill with a faux smile. Sephiroth pulled out his wallet and paid the man and they exited the building to the stuffy Slums. Kituna sighed at the gloominess of the place and turned to face the SOLDIERs.

"What do you want to do now?"

Angeal immediately piped up before Genesis could say a thing. "You can show us the ferno now!"

Sephiroth agreed with a nod while Genesis was about to protest. Kituna clapped her hands in front of her. "Alright! Two to one, sorry Gen." she sang before leading them into a secluded circle of rubble and turning back to them. "Okay, stay back though guys, I don't know if she'll take kindly to you at first or not. She's been used for protection the last couple times I called her."

Once the men were a safe distance away she closed her eyes and rubbed her right index finger along the band. It glowed, increasing brightness until it was like a tiny star and then it shot up and formed a fox like creature and landed between them. She shown like moonlight on fresh snow and her eyes glowed like twin embers. She sniffed the air around the men carefully before turning her massive head to her master. Kituna nodded with a smile and the fox stepped forward for the men to reach out to her if they wanted.

"You can pet her." Kituna offered as she stepped forward to stroke the fox's soft furred shoulder. "Her name is Sno."

Sno was as tall as a Behemoth with a similar build, although much softer and much more deadly. Sephiroth cautiously reached up to stroke her muzzle as the other two petted her other shoulder and back. She stared at them blandly but her tail slightly wagged. The slight movement made her master smile warmly and grip her neck fur as she pulled herself up onto her back and pulled each of the others on one by one. "Why don't we go for a ride?" she smiled over her shoulder and mentally connected with the ferno beneath her to rise to the skies.

The creature's eyes blazed and a red aura emanated from her body as she crouched and blue flames engulfed her paws and she sprung into the air. She climbed invisible stairs to towards the stars. Kituna whooped and spread her arms wide as Sephiroth wrapped his arms around her waist in fear of falling off and Angeal let out a shocked noise as they climbed higher and higher.

After a while she commanded Sno to level off and the ferno began galloping along the skyline far above the ground. Kituna turned to look at the warrior wrapped around her waist and giggled at their fear. "Come on guys! She won't let you fall, I'll be sure to catch you before you hit the ground." she assured them while she laughed at the irony. These men, in a different life, flew across the skies daily at this height and higher with their wing from their experimental births. The thought brought unexpected sadness. They would still have the effects of those experiments undoubtedly and still fly the skies. She just hoped they weren't angels of death but angels of justice in this new life.

She finally brought them down to another secluded area of the Slums although somewhat deeper in than where they had lifted off. She called Sno back into the form of the band and they all fell to their feet and stretched their cramped leg muscles. Kituna danced around them like a fairy and grinned. "Wasn't that exhilarating guys? I wish I could do that all day!" she giggled then came to a stop in front of Genesis. "Hey, I know where we can go next! Can we visit the Church?" she cocked her head to the side and batted her eyelashes.

Genesis wanted that dance and didn't think a church was where he wanted to be with her per say but reluctantly nodded with a small smile as she clapped her hands and jumped up and down again. He liked that a lot too. He let her guide them through the dark Slums. They passed piles of junk and wreckage as well as row upon row of ramshackle houses unlike the trimmer ones by the Market where the richer people of Sector 7 lived. She spun in a circle when they came to the steps of the surprisingly white building. It was beautiful although it still showed signs of the Slums wear and tear with the crumbled towers and holes in the roof.

Kituna pushed open the oak double doors and smiled up at the moonlight shining in from the hole in the high ceiling. The hole wasn't that bad but the small circle of dirt was still there as a result. She ran toward it as the men filed in in awe. She knelt and gently stroked one of the yellow flowers and smiled happily as it responded. _Grow_. She willed the blossom. It swayed gently in answer.

Sephiroth knelt beside her, careful of the delicate plants. "Flowers grow in Midgar? I thought nothing grew in Midgar, especially not flowers." he whispered. His eyes were wide as the girl beside him touched each flower and he felt them respond in some weird energy plane. The sensation was so strange and foreign that he wanted more. More of it, more of her, but Genesis pulled up behind them.

"Kituna, how about that dance now?"

"Silly, we're in a church! Don't you like the flowers?" she giggled at his disappointed frown.

"They're great and exotic, but I was really excited to see your hobby, you know?" he hugged her from behind. He smiled as she burst out laughing and weakly trying to get him off.

"Let go Gen! Let go!" she smiled as she twisted and wiggled in his arms.

Sephiroth stood and frowned. Genesis was rather bold, apparently that was his nature. Sephiroth was more secluded himself, but he knew Kituna. Really knew her, or at least her secret as A he corrected himself as she hadn't really told him anything about herself. But he wanted to know her, Genesis just wanted that damn dance and he only knew what else, at least which order he wanted the 'else' to happen in. The general sighed and headed out of the church with Angeal as Genesis chased the blonde by the pews and out onto the street. When the SOLDIER finally caught her he hoisted her up and let her rest her arms on his chest and shoulders as he looked up into her violet eyes. She smiled down at him.

"You caught me! I guess I'll have to give you that dance now, huh?" she said in a fake sad voice with a grin.

Genesis' face lit up and he set her down. They walked back to the Shinra building and went up to their rooms. Kituna hugged Angeal and Sephiroth good night and warned Genesis as he opened his apartment's door. "Only a short dance, I need to get to sleep too, you know."

He bowed and gestured her in with a smile. She grinned and skipped into the room finding it exactly like her own only with some personal touches from the SOLDIER. Picture frames lined the walls in some places while various décor accents populated the tables and corners. She giggled when Genesis wrapped his arms around her middle and she turned around before grabbing the collar of his coat and leading him to one of the cream chairs and shoving him in it.

She slowly turned, sliding her hands along her body from her thighs to her stomach up to her shoulders and finally above her head and then she slowly wiggled down while her arms wrung the air above her and then she rose and stalked over to the seated SOLDIER with a smirk. Her hands splayed across his chest and she brought her face close to his and slid her body against his, watching his emotions play across his face before twisting into his lap and out again and stroking his jaw as she circled the chair. His mouth was open slightly and his eyes followed her wherever she went. Kituna straddled him in his chair and ran her hands through his spiky hair as she pressed herself into him. She could feel him want her but she wasn't giving it up tonight. She leaned down to where their noses slightly touched and smiled sweetly before pushing away and standing. He reached out to grab her but he only grabbed air as she spun away towards the door.

"Told you it would be short." She winked.

"That wasn't a full dance…that was a tease!" Genesis begged as he struggled to stand.

The Cetra wagged a finger at him. "Now, now, I might give you more on a later date, maybe even something to brag about, but right now I have to get to sleep."

Genesis rushed to block her path with his arm. "You can sleep here if you want." He suggested as he leaned close to her face, one hand gently stroking her jaw.

She giggled and ducked under his arm. "Patience, Gen, is a gift that I'm forcing on you." She blew him a kiss. "Good night and sweet dreams."

Genesis watched her leave his apartment and touched his chest. _They'll be of you_. He thought with a smile as he took of his coat and got ready for bed with a hot shower that couldn't match the heat that scorched through his body for the blond young girl. As he lay in bed her face came to his mind's eye. She smiled and beckoned him through a field of yellow flowers like the ones at the church she liked so much. He reached for her but she was always just out of reach, no matter how hard he tried. _My Goddess._

080

Sephiroth was waiting for Kituna as she exited Genesis' apartment shortly after Angeal and him had been subtly excused from the rest of the night's activities, much to his surprise. She saw him and smiled.

"Good, I was hoping you'd still be out here. So how did I do? Do you think they liked me?" she giggled.

"That might be an understatement." But he smiled. The Cetra feigned shock. "Are you…jealous? Ha, Sephy, you're still my favorite of the trio." She winked. "We should be heading to bed though; I guess I'll see you guys when we're all men again for training or briefing or whatever Lazard has planned."

The general nodded and she followed him back to his apartment. "Good night, Seph." She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek before heading into her own apartment. Sephiroth looked back to find her gone. He brushed the spot where her lips had brushed his cheek and smiled.

As the SOLDIER closed his eyes he saw Kituna laying on top of him as they shared a happy laugh and he held her tightly to him. He never wanted to let her go. He didn't even want to share her with his friends, not even as a friend. He wanted her in his arms forever.

080

Rufus grumbled as they assessed the site for the reactor as foundations were dug and placed. He scanned the area, empty of life and color except the gray-brown of the infertile rocky soil and cliff sides. It was the typical place for a reactor to mine Mako from the Planet's core, no one would dare venture out here and come across the experiments that were bound to happen here later. Just like what had happened in Nebilheim. And the whole world knew the results of Hojo's and Hollander's 'research'. And Kituna was alone with them all although at least they were in Midgar now according to his brother's message he had just opened earlier that morning. He paced irritably, impatient to get back to base so he could check on all of them.

Finally his father patted him on the shoulder and smiled at his son. "I'm so glad we can bond over important matters like this Rufus. You are the world to me."

The blond Vice President scoffed. "The world is the world to you. I'll see ya'll back at the chopper. Elena, you come with me and Veld." As the leader of the Turks and the female Turk followed him Rufus typed a short message in his phone. The leader noticed and commented jokingly. "Hey, what's with the frequent short messages boss? Got a girlfriend or someone special? Ha ha."

The annoyed Vice President grunted. "Not particularly. Just doing business calls, making sure everything goes according to plan." He replied as he thought of a group of certain SOLDIER First Class operatives.

_**Please review! I'd love to know what you think =3**_


	10. Family Matters

**Chapter Ten: Family Matters**

_**Don't own any of Square Enix's characters, only my own! Please enjoy =)**_

Kituna exited her apartment on time with the others who were yawning on their way to the elevator. She joined them in the small space as they were lowered to the SOLDIER Floor and exited to lounge on the blue sofas there. She saw Genesis smirking and blushed underneath her mask. What was he thinking about, remembering from last night? Embellishing on last night? She frowned at all the stuff he could have dreamt about thanks to her and she didn't like that look on his face as Angeal cocked an eyebrow at him questioningly. She waited for the question to be voice and didn't have to wait long.

"Hey, Genesis, what's with that look on your face?" Angeal demanded.

"If you need to know, I got that dance from Kit last night…. in my apartment." His smile broadened.

His childhood friend rolled his eyes. "We know she went into your apartment, we saw that part." He stated jealously.

Kituna glared at Genesis at using her nickname but blushed at how quick the boys had taken to her. She brushed it aside though before she blew her cover and sat silently beside Sephiroth.

"I can't wait to find her again, as soon as this meeting's over I'm going to search for her."

"You falling in love?" Angeal joked but both Kituna and Sephiroth jerked to attention at the comment.

Genesis smiled with a content sigh. "I dunno dude, she might be the one. She obviously shares similar interests as I do and I think she was totally digging me too." This made Angeal seem a little taken aback.

"I think she was digging us all." He shot back.

"Maybe you should try and mosey up to her next time we see her, then. I can't wait to see you get shot down." Genesis smirked.

Kituna was about to protest to treating her alter ego as an object for them to fight over as the door to the Briefing Room hissed open. She stood with the others and they filed in to see Lazard and Rufus both at the table. They stood at salute and then at attention, waiting for whatever news they were to receive.

Rufus walked along the line of four and stopped at the end where Kituna, aka A, stood behind her mask and gave her a brief smile before turning his back to them. "The reactor is coming along nicely and will bring in much more Mako for the company. You four, however, will need to make sure our troops can stand up to quota. The Army, SOLDIER and foot soldiers alike, will need to be at their best if we are you maintain this company and you four will make sure they get the right amount of vigorous training that will keep them in tip top fighting order. You are the force of this company," his azure eyes landed on Sephiroth in particular, "without your strength we wouldn't be where we are right now no matter how much my father won't confess it to you. We are proud of you and treasure having you be our First Class. Now get out there and make more of that sorry lot." He grinned and lounged in a chair nearby and looked to Lazard who stepped forward.

"As the Vice President said, we have quantity; we just need to up the quality now and you will help with that. Sephiroth is already the General and knows his elite squadrons as do Genesis and Angeal assuming they got the e-mail I sent?"

Genesis blushed while Angeal nodded tightly. Lazard stood before the red clad swordsman.

"SOLDIER First Class, Genesis, did you read the e-mail I sent last night?" he asked coolly.

He shook his head shamefully, keeping his eyes on an object directly behind the Director.

"I suggest you step down from the clouds of your new fame then and check the inbox of your phone when we're through. A, since you were kept secret by the Vice President up to this point you will be assigned a few of our new promoted Second Class and our new numbers of Third Class SOLDIER operatives. Apparently, if anyone can make them the best, it would be you by what I've been told." His blue eyes darted over to the other blond lounging behind him who nodded. He returned his attention to her, "I trust you won't fail us. Now, all of you will bring the new Third Class into some simulations of the Mines, Plains and Desert areas and then the Islands. You are to act like it is an actual warzone or excavation or exploration team. Anyone dealt an otherwise killing wound will be kicked out of the simulation. Any pain or wounds, as you should already know, will be very real. Of course, that shouldn't be a problem for you. I would just keep an eye on the newbies. Now, off to the training room, they are already there. A, they are all in your squadron so take care to make a good first impression. Sephiroth, I'm sure they're all familiar with you. Genesis and Angeal, you can treat them like shit if you wanted, I don't really care." He ushered them out and Rufus followed to pull Kituna aside.

"You four go one ahead, I'm just going to have a short talk with A before we begin." He told them as he waved them on. When they were around the corner he pulled her back into the Briefing Room and locked the door with his card key on his belt. "Kituna, how did everything go?" he asked earnestly.

She tilted her head and slipped the mask up onto her head under her hood. "How did what go?"

"In Banora, when I left, what all happened since Sephiroth knows?" he reminded.

"Oh, well, no one else knows and we got called back by Lazard I guess to train the new Thirds and we saw Loveless last night but I wasn't A. Sephiroth proposed that I can be Kituna the visitor to Midgar while we're here so I'm not always on guard." She waited for him to protest to the idea even though it had already happened. To her surprise he nodded his head.

"That makes sense, it takes off the pressure too as long as no one notices you going in the same apartment as different people."

She hadn't thought that far ahead and frowned.

"But don't worry, I can intervene if I need to. So, is the future safe?" he smiled.

"So far, I think I quieted Genesis' obsession for good and if we can stabilize their bodies, he and Angeal won't go on a 'we're all monsters' spree and Sephiroth won't lose his head by the domino effect." She smiled back. She wasn't going to let this screw up like the previous future.

"I'll get Hollander and Hojo to reintroduce the genes with some S samples ASAP. I guess we should hurry over to the Training Room now, but I want to meet you outside the building an hour later, okay?"

She nodded and slid her mask back into place and they headed over to the slightly crowded Training Room. There were fifteen other SOLDIER in the small room all in purple uniforms of the cotton sweater like shirt and cargo pants with boots and belts that identified them as their Class with metal helmet like masks that hid their hair and upper facial features. At least there was something they could bond over. Kituna followed the other First Class SOLDIERs to leading the new recruits into the cell and then green and blue digitalization flashed around them as they were sent into the first simulation. She looked around to find they were surrounded by damp bluish rock with stalactites and stalagmites lining the periphery like jaws. They were in the deep mines.

Sephiroth flipped open his phone on the first ring. "Sir."

There was the muffled voice of the Director from the speaker. "Kituna and you will lead the group out of the lower mines to the upper mines and out into the Plains then into the Desert to make your way to the Islands border where you will find a means of comfortably getting to the main island where you will finish the simulation. By all means, take your time, Hojo is here." Then he hung up. Sephiroth grunted what sounded like a curse.

Kituna nodded at him so he understood she had overheard then turned to the men who quickly stopped glancing fearfully at the depths below and stood at attention. "Sephiroth and I will lead the group, Genesis, Angeal, you will make sure no one falls behind and that we aren't attacked from behind. If anything happens that should cause a disruption to your formation you are to inform me first, I'll take care of it if need be."

The other two nodded and drew their weapons as they scanned the dark depths from the back of the group. Kituna continued to the purple clad men. "There is no doubt you will have to prove yourselves once again that you are worthy to be SOLDIER, it won't be all fame and glory. You will fight, you may die, here as well as the actual missions you will be assigned. A true SOLDIER is afraid, so don't think you are weak if you are. Fear can change a man, for the worse or the better, for your sake and your comrade's sake, don't lose your cool. Channel the fear into determination to get as many as you home alive as possible and your mission completed. I'm not going to do all the work, either you can fight and hold your own or not but we aren't Firsts to hold your hands, we didn't have that luxury." She scanned them and saw they were now staring at her with a mixture of fear and admiration and loyalty. She got the worst part over for them and hopefully the morale would stay the same if not increase.

Sephiroth started forward and she matched his pace evenly as they climbed towards the lighter areas of the Mine.

"A, that was a moving speech, let's hope we can get them out alive with a completed mission under their belts."

She nodded. "I don't want them to die because I never went on a mission before, Sephiroth, I'm learning as much as they are." She laughed dryly a little.

She saw him grin out of the corner of her eye. "Don't worry, I'll protect you although honestly, you basically just fight, do what they told you and make sure you aren't a man short." He glanced down at her before returning to monitor the surrounding shadows again. "Especially if the only man you took was yourself." She was glad she had the support and narrowed her violet eyes to increase the sense, seeing every crack in every gray-blue rock. Then she heard the scream of surprise and immediately spun around to leap over the others to where Angeal was grappling with some kind of purple chocobo looking birds. There were a lot of them, a LOT. They were bobbing out from behind the boulders and stalagmites with glowing red, hungry eyes. Genesis shot out a Firaga spell and the four that were hit by the bursts stepped back and hissed angrily at him. He cursed and looked sideways at Kituna.

"Hey A, got a trick up your sleeve like back in Banora?" he asked through his gritted teeth.

She could hear the frightened murmuring of the Thirds and could sense the terror that rolled off them all in waves. She couldn't give herself to her power like she had near the ravine, not with so many who could get caught up in it, she had promised to get them home safely and she sure as hell wasn't going to make them fight all these things at once. She called out so they could all hear her, "I'm going to use Teren, if any get past me be ready to take them down. They are stronger down here, closer to the contaminating Mako spring, so be on your guard and don't take them lightly." She waited until she could feel they had heard her and were prepared to fight before she pulled out the light brown orb from her bag and squeezing it so that it gave off a dull golden glow. She raised her hand and the energy spilling from it formed tendrils that spiraled up her torso and along her arm to congregate at her clenched fist. After a few moments, her fist was close to a miniature sun and had the birds mesmerized and she splayed her gloved hand and whispered the end of the chant so that pillars, sharp and deadly, shot out from the rock. Squawks of surprise and pain erupted from the flock as some were speared and others pushed off the edge of the path into the craggy, inky depths. The birds recouped and started charging the group, pelting up the pillars and leaping from pillar to pillar, some slid down from lack of footing and joined their fellow brethren below. Kituna worked the unyielding rock to shift under their talons but a few leapt over her head and she heard Genesis slash at the two that got through. She had to pick up the weight, they needed to stay in their prime for above when they could get ambushed. Her hand holding Teren pulsed and a wall of rock was formed. The sickening crunch of bodies as they charged into its face or slid uncontrollably into it echoed along with the cries of outrage that the bird's dinner was lost and Kituna lowered her arm and returned Teren to her pouch before turning to assess the Thirds. Some were shaken while the rest returned to formation. She nodded and walked back to the front to a relieved Sephiroth.

"Let's continue, they aren't getting through that wall but I don't want to stick around if a Behemoth was down further along this path." She said as she passed him.

Sephiroth nodded and motioned the group forward.

At some point, Kituna could sense the change in the group's atmosphere as they realized that it was by Kituna's strange materia that they hadn't been eaten alive by those carnivorous birds and they got serious. The Director had said this was a life and death situation, as real as it could possibly get and as dangerous as it had been with other operatives on previous missions. No one mentioned that they didn't hear any nostalgic stories from the higher ranks of such missions before, assuming the data was the only that survived. They were maturing over the few minutes it took them to get to the higher level in the Mines and they loosened up slightly when they had passed the last dark and shadowy turns of the lower levels.

Kituna stopped the group when they reached the first fork in the path and looked down each opening around the corners. The cost appeared to be clear but she knew that monsters sometimes dropped from the ceiling of the caves or burrowed in the middle of the paths, waiting for prey. She could barely make out all the energy levels of the creatures in the small space and pulled out her PHS to check the digital map they had of the area from other missions, noticing the shortest route out of the Mines was to the right, then another right, a left and a right, straight past a tunnel mouth and two more lefts to bypass bridges where Movers loved to ambush prey. She really didn't feel up to facing off with a group of Movers, tapping them to find their critical point and those waspy bugs were always hovering nearby and Bombs would be attracted by the commotion, those stupid creatures just wanted to explode and roast their victims alive. That would go perfect with the new Thirds. She flipped her PHS closed and headed back over to the group.

"Okay, we're going the shortest route to get out of the Mines. Of course you won't always be able to do this if you're sent here for something specific. There are Worms here, those birds, Movers, Wasps, Bombs, Hungries, Behemoth, Big Horns and all manners of creatures that you really don't want to fuck with. Look them up when we get back and always make sure to look up what monsters have been spotted in your designated mission area before heading out, it could save your life and your comrade's as well. Now, we are going right, left, right, past a tunnel and then two more lefts to get out to the Plains, everyone got that? Be careful to walk single file against the walls as there are creatures in the middle waiting for unsuspecting prey and possibly some hanging on the ceiling, so be quiet as well. I want everyone to get out alive and to pass this test, okay?"

The group nodded and she sighed. She hoped she could do it, she wasn't sure she could protect the men from a hoard of anything like with the birds, she felt certain that the President was testing her abilities instead as he obviously didn't remember her in the SOLDIER program, how could he?

Surprisingly but to Kituna's relief, they made it from the Mines to the Plains without any more confrontations. Now they just had to get across the Plains by the dirt road from the far corner they were at, easy. The monsters probably weren't low levels either, despite being away from any concentrated Mako springs and this was the country for Big Horns and more of those birds and no narrow path over a pit to help keep them at bay, fun. Kituna gripped her twin katanas and smiled to herself. That it would be. She shook her head and cursed. Her Mother's side was being awoken with the smell of a fight eminent in the air. She craved the bloodlust of battle and began marching forward, her senses fully alert and reaching beyond the simulation, she could feel the President's eyes specifically watching them although he hadn't been in the Training Room with his son and the Director. Of course he was President Shinra, he could survey whatever he wanted in his building. A hungry glint passed over her eyes and her heart raced with adrenaline. If he was really testing her abilities and future promise to ShinRa than he was going to get the show of his life! She continued to march towards the road, not bothering to check if the group followed her or to pick and choose the path to dodge unnecessary conflict. To her right now, any conflict was necessary.

Sephiroth jogged up beside her and gripped her shoulder, turning her around to face him, and he recoiled from the feral glare she gave him.

"What?" she hissed between clenched teeth.

"A, you know that you're supposed to be leading this group, not leaving them. There are strong monsters out here and they haven't seen much actual combat. They're like flopping fish in a barrel!" he reminded her.

Her head cleared a little and she winced. "I know that, I just want to kill them all."

Sephiroth's eyes widened in shock. "The group or ShinRa in general?"

"No, no, no, the monsters, I want to kill them for a show for the President. He's watching us now you know."

"All the better for you to follow orders and show these new SOLDIER operatives how to do their job properly and safely like Lazard told you. These are your men."

"You're right." She nodded and shook her head some more to clear the red fog better and walked carefully back to the nervous SOLDIERs. Man were they a wreck. Of course she would be too if she was left behind by the strongest warrior in the group in a dangerous place while he went on a blood spilling spree. She fought back a chuckle. They really did look like flopping fish…

"Okay, so you can't do what I was about to do, got it? No running out into the middle of the fields unless you have really good strong men and machinery beside you unless your target is within your reach. You travel along the periphery until you reach the dirt road that weaves throughout the whole Plains. It has patchy fencing here and there every now and again and monsters will sometimes appear but not as often as in the open." She stopped as one of the Seconds half raised his hand and nodded for him to speak.

"Why were you about to go out in the open?"

"Cause the President is watching and I had the urge to give him a show, but then the General kindly reminded me that I was given orders to make sure you all knew how to properly and safely do your jobs so I pulled my shit together. Anymore questions before we move on?" When no one else made a motion to ask a question she nodded. "Alright then, let's go! Remember, the periphery unless necessary."

Kituna ground her teeth in frustration as they marched along the fence that marked the abandoned fields of the Plains, her violet eyes flipping to the old barn and farm house not too far away. Shinra had once used these fertile fields for growing crops but as soon as the monsters found their way up from the mines where raw materials as well as Mako springs were abundant, mutated by the effects of the mining, they evacuated the whole area and fenced it in with what appeared to be wood but was really a composite material that repelled the beasts so that the other neighboring fields were not intruded. How it really worked she had no idea but she had missed a lot of the technical advancements in her hibernation so she wasn't bothered by it, Rufus could catch her up later.

They made it to the worn dirt path and they made a sharp turn onto it and continued to progress towards the distant opening in the barrier which they would be let through so they could travel the hills to the Desert. Sephiroth was scanning the low hills of the Plains with narrowed eyes so Kituna took the time to close hers so she could recoup from the drive to kill everything from earlier. Man, the pressure of keeping this secret identity was harder than it had first seemed and she really just wanted A to die in battle so she could just be Kituna, herself. But she wasn't just Kituna the girl visiting her First Class brother, she didn't even have a brother! She was also a fighter, a SOLDIER so to speak and she found she wouldn't be able to stand not fighting and she knew that women weren't accepted into the Army or SOLDIER at all. She'd have to turn to underground street fights and God only knew how many perverts, male and female alike, attended those. She opened her eyes and sighed, catching Sephiroth's attention.

"A, what's the matter?" he asked softly.

"Stress."

"From the simulation?"

She shook her head. "No, from having to be two different people. I just want to be myself as a whole, not two halves living different lives. It's unfair but…" she trailed off before she gave away the reason she had to be A in the first place and hoped Sephiroth wouldn't notice. To her dismay, he did.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you have to be A in the first place?"

She thought a moment and gripped her Gin and Kin tighter. "Fighting is a part of me, I need it as much as I need to be normal but women aren't accepted into Shinra for fighting unless they're Turks and…" come to think of it, this wasn't a very good explanation after all. "Forget that, it's just that I ended up in SOLDIER because I had to do something from this stand point but am feeling its side effects and not liking what I'm getting."

"Not liking what you're getting? Like what?"

_God he sounded offended!_ "Oh, Seph, it's not because of you I'm frustrated! I promise."

"Is it Genesis?" Sephiroth asked with an undertone of malice.

"What… why would it be Genesis?" Kituna asked confused.

"He was throwing himself all over you last night, that might irritate you." He looked sideways at her as she shook her head, scowling at her response.

"No, Sephiroth, none of you bother me. Actually, I can't tell you the details but I'm in this position because of you three. And well others too but mostly you and Genesis." She explained.

"Why?"

"I can't tell you…"

"Not that, why can't you tell us?" he interrupted.

Kituna slowed her pace and stared at the warrior towering over her and found she was trembling at his anger that was smacking her in the face. "Seph, please don't be angry… it's confidential."

"Rufus knows doesn't he." He said matter-of-factly with an abrupt calmness that triggered warning alarms off in Kituna's head.

"Seph…"

"Does he?" he growled.

She didn't know what to say so she only nodded and for some reason felt ashamed. She was putting herself too close to the main person of interest and this was what she got for it, she shouldn't be lying to him if he was her friend. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head and picked up the pace forcing her to do the same and with his longer stride she was having to jog at times. "Sephiroth!" she called so that the nearest row of recruits could hear her, making the angry general turn to acknowledge her. "Put aside your personal emotions and focus on the matter at hand. We can't lose you." He would just see that last part as a fact of the simulation but she meant it as much more, if they lost him he would be weak for Jenova to corrupt. "Keep yourself focused always."

He narrowed his eyes at her and turned back to keep the group moving and she could only follow with her cheeks flaming with anger at him and his attitude. Why did it matter so much why she couldn't tell him but Rufus knew everything?

080

Rufus glared at the screen and clenched his fist. He could practically feel Kituna's frustration and anger at the equally furious general and he really wanted to punch the guy. Maybe there was another way to punish the arrogant bastard? Yeah, he could definitely think of some. But he still needed the swordsman for a certain other task that was a little more important that the Cetra's feelings right now although not by much. He knew that Sephiroth would eventually kill his father after AVALANCHE's onslaught of the ShinRa building. But thanks to a certain blonde he was now able to speed things up as AVALANCHE was practically terminated by her materia usage so the building wouldn't be ramshackled before he rose to power. The fine little details could be skipped and the whole Turks business avoided and certain ShinRa executives could be likewise terminated as his selfish father and the pesky terrorist group. He smiled coldly to himself. Maybe Kituna could help out. Then in return he could help her prevent the three experimentally birthed SODLIER First Classes from destroying everyone's future and everything would go according to plan. He liked the sound of that.

_**Sorry for the late update, had a lot on my plate but really wanted to make a post before it got worse. I'll try to get another soon and please don't forget to review! ^^**_


	11. A Walk in the Desert

**Chapter Eleven: A Walk in the Desert**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs**_

Kituna sighed when the border between the Plains and Desert showed on the horizon as they crested a hill. They hadn't run into any Great Horns yet and that was a relief. Those suckers really peeved her.

She glanced once again at the silent general beside her. He was only a few feet away flanking the other side of the uniform marching group but to her he felt miles, no galaxies away. But honestly, what had she expected, the three friends to happily go along with her hide partially in the shadows crap with a big goofy grin on their perfect faces? She should have known better, she had watched them grow up and die, seen their whole lives play out with countless others she knew all too well. She knew their pet peeves and favorite hobbies and their personalities, she should have anticipated all reactions to any relationship she formed with any of them.

But she hadn't wanted a relationship of any kind with any of them to begin with, had she? No, she had wanted to just make sure they didn't go crazy and self-loathing on the Planet for Gaia's sake, not set up a bachelorette contest between them. Was that what she'd done? She only went along with what the conversation took her to, they had been the instigators, not her. Rufus didn't act this way, probably kept it professional so they could keep the focus of the Planet's salvation in sight. Did he even feel anything toward her? Well she felt nothing towards him; he hadn't fallen far from his father's tree.

She rolled her eyes and paused, looking back over the tired group as they continued to keep the pace under the hot sun. It was high noon and they should have a break. Marching in their gear under the noon sun through the Desert wasn't going to be easy and her men couldn't fight if they were exhausted.

She cleared her throat to get Sephiroth's attention. He glanced at her and seemed to understand because he stopped and turned with her to face the group.

"Attention," Kituna called out, "We'll be taking a short break. We're almost to the Desert and we should wait for the sun to descend a little to make it easier since we made such great time today."

The men sighed in relief and set their packs down and the clanking of weapons and gear getting shifted around could be heard as they dug around for their rations and canteens. Genesis stretched his arms up as he joined the two up front with Angeal right behind him, reminding the men they were still in the open and needed to keep the noise down so no unnecessary monsters were attracted to their position.

"Yo, what's the plan for the Desert guys? There's like no cover and we aren't exactly camouflaged to match the terrain." Genesis asked as he unscrewed his canteen and took three large gulps.

Kituna could relate. The Seconds and Thirds where in blue and purple, while dark shades of the colors they weren't in black or leather like the four Firsts were. She reached up and lifted her hood to let the slight breeze tickle her sweaty scalp and sighed. The Desert would be hotter.

"Shit." She whispered before turning to the others. Sephiroth was looking off into the distance with a scowl and his arms crossed and Genesis was looking between them with wide blue eyes. He was kinda cute when he was clueless.

"What's up with you two? Did something happen up here?" Angeal asked cautiously, settling to look at Kituna as she was the one actually paying attention to them.

"Um, nothing happened," she ignored Sephiroth's snort, "just tired is all. We're just going to rest for now until it's somewhat cooler before crossing the border. I guess we'll just have to scuffle through in a somewhat orderly fashion, maybe split the group between the four of us so we can move about easier? I'm not really sure…" she looked up at Sephiroth for help, despite his anger with her he should still put the mission first… "Um, Sephiroth, what do you suggest?"

His eyes shifted from whatever he was looking at on the horizon to hers. She shivered under their cold weight.

"Whatever you want, you're the one making the decisions. This is to see how _you_ perform under these conditions, not all four of us." His tone was as cold as his eyes and Kituna couldn't help but see the past future image of the general as he stood amongst the flames of the destroyed town of Nebilheim. His face was the very same, indifferent, unfeeling and… evil.

"I was just asking for professional advice. There is no need to be cold towards me when this decision can end up hurting our troops if it is the wrong one."

"If you give the wrong order, I'll take over if we are in any serious danger. But you and the whole lot need to learn the stress of the job and the pain is an added bonus you will almost always have added to your paycheck so suck it up and be a _man_. If you can that is." He grinned down at her. He was taunting her, but she couldn't ignore the hidden threat behind the words.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" her voice was worried, sounding more feminine than masculine for her liking. She quickly cleared her throat.

Sephiroth laughed dryly and shook his head a few times. "You're always wearing that mask and cloak, what exactly are you hiding?"

Kituna blushed. Not sure how to answer the question as Genesis, Angeal and a few lounging SOLDIERs close by turned to look at her when they heard the general's question. "Uh…"

"I asked you a question. Or do you think you have some superiority above the general just because you've been Rufus' hidden pet for so long?" he asked calmly. This was the Sephiroth who burned down towns because he could, who slaughtered millions because it brought a smile to his face. This wasn't the Sephiroth she had met back in Banora. All because of her.

"I dress this way under Rufus' orders," she finally replied, "if you have a question about it ask him."

The answer answered the question but in a way that led to more questions, questions she couldn't answer. She turned away and walked off toward the border and looked out across the pale brown sands at all the rocky terrain that lined paths. Monsters were popular here too.

She remained where she was for a few minutes and looked up at the sky. It was low enough and the heat had diminished slightly in the area they were in so she turned back to the group and walked up to the front. Sephiroth had joined his two friends but glanced up at her approach, drawing the attention to her from everyone. She cleared her throat.

"Break's over!" she said gruffly, "Time to move on."

The group stood without hesitation and packed their gear quickly, getting into the tight formation and standing at attention as the Firsts met. Kituna pointed at Genesis and Angeal, "Pick out a four men to guide behind us. We're going to divide into smaller groups to attract less attention, but I will remain attentive to all groups. Sephiroth you will take three and I will have the remaining four. Genesis, you will follow directly after me, then Angeal and taking up the rear will be Sephiroth."

Genesis and Angeal looked over at the general with surprised faces that mirrored his.

"Is there a problem, General?" she asked coolly, "This is my operation, is it not?"

"Not at all." He replied tightly.

"How about you two?" she asked, turning to the still gawking men beside the tall general.

They shook their heads and quickly hurried off to pick out their four members. Kituna turned to Sephiroth.

"I'd get your men now if I were you, the Vice President's watching."

"Is he always there to hold your hand?" he sneered.

Without waiting for an answer he turned and jabbed a gloved finger at a group of three SOLDIER Second Class who were huddled together near the front of the group and they scrambled to catch up with his long strides as the First Class operatives led their groups toward the border.

Kituna waved her remaining four members to follow her and took the head of the groups, leading them from lush green grass to the scorched sands of the Desert, the grass thinning out to dry shrubs. The men instantly began to grumble to themselves to be shushed by either the few quiet men or equally uncomfortable First Class's leading them. The heat rolled off the pale brown sands, coming up in waves to distort the horizon. There was no cover and Kituna was thankful that her hood was broad enough to create a little shade for her metal covered face, a big up as it turned out, leaving the mask her body temperature with only a slight temperature increase. The Thirds' metal mask helmets didn't offer the same reprieve, they were more like miniature ovens. She thought about using Glaice to fly above them to create a shadow of ice to beat down and cool them off as the heat rose up from the sands to meet them, it was what she would have done if it was her and a few men but with the large group and that they were separated into small groups would mean that Glaice would have to cover them all and that would just draw too much attention. She couldn't just do her group either as that would be unfair so she was left to feel sorry for all the men of the group for the trip to the end of the Desert.

There was a soft keening that sounded to their right, calling all men to pause in mid-step and look towards where the source of the sound could be. It wasn't human.

The men fumbled for their swords while some pulled out various materia, not quite sure which to grab as the creature was unknown. Kituna saw Genesis' calm and collected face as he peered behind the large rock his group was currently behind; through the calm she could see the eagerness to slice something in his Mako sea blue eyes, the twitch of a smile on his lips. Angeal was a smudge through the heat over the distance his group was at and Sephiroth was of course out of sight but no doubt wanting this fight as much as she and Genesis did, probably like her he wanted to vent his anger from their previous conversation.

She turned back toward the sound and listened without breathing, trying to pin-point the precise location. When that failed she closed her eyes and took two deep breaths, feeling the welcoming energy of the Planet in no time and letting it meld with her core energy for a brief moment before starting to reach out for the creature's life force using the Lifestream. It was a technique both her parents had used and taught her, the ability to sense where anything was and see a clear image of that person or thing that was living or dead and gone, a way to talk to them or it. It was miles she must have mentally traveled until she felt the creature that was barreling across the barren Desert land, careening into the canyon like rocks, demolishing the smaller ones under its clawed paws. There were more behind it.

Her breath caught in her throat as she ran out in the open to get the other groups attention. Almost forgetting to sound like a young man she yelled out so all could hear, "There isn't anything around us for miles but that was a Behemoth!"

The men cautiously crept out to the middle of the open trail and looked around. They had gone up against a simulation Behemoth before and with all of them they probably thought it was easy. Then why was their leader freaking out?

Kituna gripped her katanas and looked at Genesis who had lowered his red rapier. "Genesis, everyone! There is a lot more than one…" she let herself trail off as her words sunk into their cerebral cortexes and get processed. Then she motioned them all ahead of her while she grabbed Genesis's arm to get his panicked attention.

"Genesis, you lead them for now, I have to talk with Sephiroth. Take Angeal with you, don't lead the group down a way that might lead to more danger and try to get them to calm down some if you can."

He nodded and instantly his blue eyes cleared as his natural leadership skills kicked in. He began shouting orders and got his friend to help organize the men into a narrower group. Kituna nodded that he could handle it and didn't need her before turning to the approaching men from Sephiroth's group. She nodded at them as they ran past her and held up her hand to the general who was taking up the rear. His eyes were as calm as his face but she could tell he was worried, his tie to the Lifestream gave away his prominent emotions and she was still in the main connection, reading the fast approaching pack of Behemoths location.

"Seph, there's at least twenty five in the head of the pack… what are we going to do?" she asked quietly.

He looked a little worried now if not more. "What? Why would they put that many in a simulation?"

Kituna pushed up her mask and gulped in the fresh air, not having gotten much through the slits in the mask. "Well, this is a test right? For the men and the leaders, so maybe they're trying to instigate something… a proper avoidance maneuver?" she guessed, hoping it would get an answer as to why ShinRa put their newest recruits in a _dire_ situation to say the very least.

He looked over at where a faint and thankfully distant cloud of pale orange dust was getting kicked up on the horizon and frowned. "I wonder why it was crying like that. That wasn't a howl for attack or a hunt." He mused, his pale mint eyes flashing with calculations in his mind's eye as he assessed the whole situation. "Why so many…"

"Seph, they're getting closer every minute. And I can sense at least thirty of them now. If there are more there are definitely no more than forty, give or take a couple, they're just a big mob now…" she heard her own fear in her voice and looked up pleadingly at the tall SOLDIER.

He jerked up as he realized what must be the answer to their problems and looked down at her as if she had just popped from out of thin air. "You... you're the reason."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" _Is he trying to blame this on me?_ "I didn't do _anything_, okay." She defended herself.

"No," he shook his head, "they are testing you. But not on how you'll avoid them with the group. They want to recreate as similar incident like in Banora. The President undoubtedly wants to see how powerful he's been told you are."

"But why put all the new recruits in danger as well? And what about you? Not even you can take on that many Behemoths at once, can you?"

"Not sure, never came across more than three in a group. They tend to keep to themselves and the President doesn't care much about what's in the way of what he wants, be it inanimate or human."

Of course, how could she forget that wonderful personality of his? She cursed to herself as she felt that urge to prove herself once more except this time there wasn't a group of fifteen new recruits and two Firsts to get in the way and suffer consequences.

"The Director set this up, didn't he?" she asked as she remembered something. "And the President tells him when and what to put in the simulation?"

Sephiroth nodded.

"The Director cares about them though. There weren't any other monsters in the Mines or any in the Plains that we came across, just that large flock of birds. He was testing me then too, wasn't he? This time though I have all the space I need and no one to get in the way. He watches over his men even if his boss doesn't give a shit." She smiled. "You almost forget he's his father's son."

Sephiroth cocked his head to the left. "His father? Who is his father? You've met him?" Queue confusion.

Kituna's head shot over to the answer awaiting general and sweat dropped big time. "Um… not really I just heard a lot about him from where I'm from…. Yeah, the locals of… Dirkna are really in to ShinRa and all the major executives." _That was too close for comfort. I'll have to watch what I say around these guys._

"So his father isn't very nice either?" Sephiroth mused, buying her sloppy cover up to her surprise.

"You could say that." _He is ShinRa's illegitimate son after all, lots in common with Rufus',_ she wanted to tack on but pressed her lips shut and turned toward the nearing cloud of dust and what must have been slightly darker chunks of the canyon like walls they were breaking apart with their raw muscly bodies.

"So, are you going to pull off that flashy stuff like in Banora?" Sephiroth asked as he eyed the ominous cloud as well.

"No, you'd have to carry me again and they can't know it drains me like it does. That won't get an A+ now would it?"

"What are you going to do?" she could hear the concern he was poorly trying to hide. Good, he wasn't mad enough at her to leave her to die.

She felt the slight warmth of Sno on her arm but shook her arm in answer, NO. The men back in the lab would see and obviously talk about her and then her secret would be blown once the boys heard. Boy would that just deflate her balloon of 'things going great' in her life. Would she use materia? If so, then which one to take on that many? Teren would be her first go-to like in the Mines but they were probably accustomed to rocks in the Desert and might have the advantage there. Aquas could be powerful, a crashing wall or bullets of water caused any moving body to stop, that was for sure and Pyros was probably not so great as they were no doubt accustomed to heat too, and weren't there naturally Bombs floating around here? Definitely used to fire. So, water… what else? Thorus's lightening? Aquas could be charged with it for an extra bite to it… and Vento was just cutting winds, didn't really fit in for this equation. She nodded and pulled out the indigo and purple orbs, activating them and tying them to the backs of her gloved hands so she could handle her swords too. Once that was done she pulled her mask down and turned toward Sephiroth.

"I'm going to use materia and my swordsmanship. If he wants to trigger my swords' materias' power than he'll just have to wait and be a good boy but at least he'll see I'm _not_ someone to trifle with."

Sephiroth chuckled. "I don't think he's ever even been a good boy. Mind if I stay and help out? I promise I won't get in the way."

Kituna's turn to cock her head to the left. "Is this your way of apologizing for earlier by any chance?"

He smiled faintly. "Maybe, but that conversation isn't over. Saving it for private and less prying ears." Masamune appeared in his hand and he raised it to his cheek, bending his knees ever so slightly, ready for battle.

Kituna laughed and crossed her blades as she crouched forward, readying to meet the now close group of beasts. "Some answers never change no matter how many ways you ask the question."

A howl erupted from the head Behemoth and it was a domino effect after that as they all picked up the pace, their knotted muscles bunching and writhing under the thick purple hides. Kituna leapt into the air and soared toward the leader, a dark purple with a chipped horn, its hungry glowing yellow eyes focused on her as it leaped up to meet her with open claws.

Kituna slashed down with her swords pushing off to flip over and around to face the falling creature as it landed amongst its buddies.

She descended towards the back of the group and immediately called Aquas to create a shield of water around her, swirling fast enough to rip the attacking creatures off their feet to spin in a yelping spin cycle of doom. She focused as six more fell into the deadly shell of water and the others who weren't attacking Sephiroth gathered to find an opening.

Her violet eyes found the warrior dancing with the long Masamune that in any other hands would have already bent and broken or fallen from their hands. He was skilled however and therefore it was a deadly extension of his arm, slicing and dicing at the jaws and claws of the purple hoard around him. He was truly beautiful when he battled, his silver hair swirling in sync with his body's movements without being a hindrance with its length. She returned her attention to the now dead bodies rotating around her field of vision and, using her gold Gin as a pointer, pointed at the bodies and Aquas pulsed in those areas to send the bodies flying into the rocky walls around them.

Aquas pulsed in a rhythmic pattern now, pulsing into deadly spikes in an orderly pattern. Kituna spread her arms wide so that the shell turned into a wall, corralling them all in front of her before surrounding them. They were smart enough to not approach it and were calculating another way out as Kituna jumped to levitate in the air above them. She raised her right hand with Thorus tied to it and pale lavender streaks of heat energy lashed down as water from Aquas' corral spread above them, encasing them so they were now in an electrocution chamber of sorts.

The howls of agony and some of death filled the air and Kituna took a breather from the energy sapping magic to check on Sephiroth who had just felled another of the beasts to add to his pile of now five Behemoths. The rest, some thirty five or so, were corralled in the ring of charged water.

"Sephiroth! The rest are in there, but only seven have died so far as the Lifestream tells me. So there's going to be thirty storming at us when I release the valve on Aquas, it's draining a lot of energy keeping that number in there and me not at my prime from before. Just giving you a heads up."

She lowered herself and took this time to return Thorus to her pouch and join Sephiroth who was walking towards her and the enemy.

080

Rufus continued to grind his teeth to dust as he watched the screen of the simulation. Lazard was making sure that no monsters ambushed the now halted party of new recruits with Genesis and Angeal as the President had ordered more than two score Behemoth to attack.

It was clear his father's intentions, to see what she aka A could do against a large force. Wanting to see exactly what had been dropped on his doorstep for his use as he had done with the sons of the Jenova projects. Kituna was already displaying yet two more extraordinary materia that had yet to be seen in very creative ways to dispel of the blood thirsty Behemoths.

He clenched his hands together and narrowed his eyes in hatred. The sooner he and all his chosen executives died the better. No picking and choosing who was to be killed for a better future, he was going to wipe the slate clean except for Lazard and himself, appointing new, trust worthy people to take their place. ShinRa was corrupt and filthy with deceit and he was Mr. Clean, Lazard Scrubbing Bubbles.

Satisfaction swelled in his chest as he continued to watch ShinRa's finest dance with his prized katana before joining the Ancient, judging the watery cage that was no doubt about to come down to reveal over a score of furious beasts of war, death their master telling them to rip and tear till blood filled their bellies and nothing else breathed. Of course, she could handle them, even without the general, but apparently they had come to a temporary peace treaty from before and were acting their age.

Lazard put his slender hand up to his earpiece and concentrated on the voice on the other end while his eyes vaguely monitored the monitors around him. He nodded with a grim frown on his face before typing yet another code into the system for later use, all he had to do was push enter.

Rufus unclenched his fists and leaned down to his half-brother's ear, "What that my father?"

"Yes, Sir."

"What did he tell you to type in?"

"He ordered me to release the higher level Behemoths we gathered samples on in the caverns and underground abandoned facilities once they kill those from the pack."

"King Behemoth? We've only encountered one or two of those and not even a direct battle if Sephiroth wasn't there, what is he thinking?" Rufus was worried what number his father had ordered to be released and if the two swordsman could even handle one after their long trek and recent battles. "A doesn't have unlimited energy, hasn't he shown enough of his magic abilities already?"

Lazard sighed. "I believe that the display in the Mines was enough and Sephiroth's word from Banora as he has no reason to exaggerate past his own abilities as that would compromise his job position as General of ShinRa Army. But the President wants to see a display like the one in Banora, something not everyone can do with an orb of concentrated Mako. He wants something that he doesn't already have, no matter how flashy it is. He's a man who wants the best even when he's offered something better than what he's got. You know that."

Rufus did know that. His father may have a weird abnormal way of showing how he loved someone, like having their birthdate be the password for everything in the building or visiting them every day at in a brothel in the Slums until they birthed a son. But he was really simple with his way of life and rise to power, grabbing more power, being the one with the biggest guns so everyone else either backed down or were shot down. Clean and simple. So it was a simple problem to fix, take the biggest guns from him and used them against him.

080

Kituna relaxed and let Aquas grow dim, the water cage slowing in its subtle movements until it fell in a crash to soak the arid sand below. She raised Gin and Kin and charged as the monsters registered that they were in fact free to move about to attack and began to run at the approaching pair. Kituna and Sephiroth had built up more momentum and were easily able to overcome the Behemoths with slashes and slices that were too quick to follow on the screen that monitored their battle.

As the last gurgling growl faded from the slit throat of the last standing Behemoth as its broad chest lowered to the ground to be followed roughly by the rest of the body, its yellow eyes fading out to dull mustard brown, Kituna and Sephiroth turned and began walking back toward the canyon path they had left. Kituna took out her canteen and took a long draft of the cold, clean water within before returning it to her belt and looking over at the taller swordsman.

"You fought well, like I knew you would."

"They don't hand out the position of General of ShinRa Army to anyone."

She nodded. "I hope they got what they were looking for, honestly I'm tired and don't even know if we can make it out of here to the boat if there are more monsters on the way."

He patted her shoulder, not lingering as both their leather coats and gloves were killing them in the heat. "I'll make sure you get there and that we finish the simulation. I don't think the President has any more cards up his sleeve of samples."

A roar sounded in the distance.

Kituna and Sephiroth both paused before breaking into a full out run, Kituna wishing she could use Sno to get there faster.

She didn't have to be connected to the Lifestream to sense the powerful presence that popped up on the map and know where it was and where it was headed. It was stronger than the beasts they had just killed while of the same basic generics and she had seen them and felt them before her awakening and travel back in time. It was a King Behemoth, three to be exact. Headed right toward the fifteen inexperienced Thirds and mediocre experienced Seconds with only two recently appointed Firsts to protect and guide them.

"Sephiroth, that was the battle cry of three King Behemoths." She panted, warning him of what they were about to face on a less than half full tank of energy.

The general picked up his pace, Kituna right beside him. "What? We just got those samples last month, there's no way he could have recreated three of them for a simulation in such little time. And why not have them show where the others did, why the newbies?"

"I don't know, but damn him if they get hurt." Kituna choked on tears and forced them back.

Sephiroth's fury rolled off him like the heat from the sands to the point it was palpable. He cared about those men too and obviously he knew the power of the King Behemoth in an open space and what it was capable of against unknowing and scared prey.

They heard the screams of alarm before they saw the melee. Heard the drawing of swords and desperate chants of spells before they saw the flashing orbs of materia. Smelled the fear before they saw the panic. When they did, they were greeted by SOLDIERs, young men barely into their young twenties, valiantly raising their weapons to prove themselves in an impossible test that wasn't theirs to take to a man who didn't care if they succeeded or died.

"No!" she screamed to no one in particular, hoping it would make the colossal monsters disappear back to whatever hellhole they had been spawned from.

She watched as the attacking King Behemoth that nearest the men slashed out and raked its ebony claws into the body of one of the Thirds who thus digitalized back to HQ and she let the levee she had been holding back from the Plains fall, feeling the detached warmth of rage and new energy take over her body.

_Shiroi, lend me the strength you born me, let me show this cruel man just what he has unleashed._ She thought to herself, her side that was fueled by the genes of her mother and hungered for power and blood spill. She hated to do this, but that man had had a mask of pure agony on his face, no doubt the King that had slashed his chest wide open had been birthed with Poison in his skills and it had burned with concentrated pain through the young boy's blood stream before he officially died in the simulation. None of the others needed to feel that, to age far beyond their years in that little second of pain and death in this virtual world. Looks like the President was a smart as he ever was, no matter how simple his goal for power was. Another tear broke free as her katanas began to glow from their pommels, Lunas and Solas, once more as they had in Banora.

She craned her neck so that she was facing the powdery blue sky and let out a fierce battle cry that got all attention, both human and Behemoth, directed towards her, pausing the killing monsters before another life was virtually sacrificed. "Is this what you want? You want to know my real power ShinRa? Let me show you, let me show you what you must watch out for because you will never see it again!" she shouted with all her might.

The three King Behemoths roared as one and in a shared fluid motion, synchronized killers that they were, they leapt through the air. They crossed the distance in a heartbeat and Kituna had just enough time to shove Sephiroth towards the group before the three landed around her, thick opaque drool glopping from their massive jaws. These were enhanced to massive proportions and towered over her at twice the size of normal Behemoths and she crossed her blades and with her downward slash, she leapt up above their heads that snapped up to watch her, waiting to snatch her when she fell back to earth.

"Not going to happen, big boys." She growled as she raised Gin above her opposite shoulder to cut through the air, an arc of silver power cleaving the King Behemoth who had slashed the young Third into two bloody pieces.

The other two roared their protest but she did the same action with Kin, letting a gold arc slice a second and then she crossed both and pushed out an X of gold and silver energy to incinerate the last.

That wasn't enough though. She wanted more, _needed_ more; more blood to quench her thirst. Her body was like the Desert sands, arid and parched and her enemy's blood, the blood of the monsters that crossed her, the blood of the President and corrupt employees of ShinRa and corrupt people of Midgar was her rain she longed to dance in and soak up.

Her glowing violet eyes scanned the pale brown ground around her and the blackish stains of the dark blood in the sand below her as she slowly descended, the ends of her leather cloak flapping around her legs. She touched down first on one foot then lowered the other that had been arched up in mid-air and slowly made her way towards the group in the far distance.

She needed time to relax before she returned to them. She sheathed both katanas and looked back up at the sky with a grim smirk hidden behind her metal mask.

"Hope that was enough for you, President." She called out. "It was only the tip of the iceberg of the real attack, you know. The finale is a great big flash of light that consumes whatever I want it to. Or anyone." The last sentence was pronounced so that it was a clear threat without being one, it was a shiny apple that the teacher wanted with a little worm under the surface ready to spoil it all for him, turning his prized gift into a horrific curse and the thought made her smile to herself. "Next time you want to know what I can do, don't purposefully put your men to slaughter either!" she said loud enough for the group she was nearing to hear, "All you have to do is be civil and ask me."

She lowered her head and stumbled slightly, barely catching herself but not about to show the nasty side effect of her birthed power even if it wasn't as bad as if she had done the full explosion. Her eyes found Sephiroth and she reached out a hand, a silent plea instantly understood as he wrapped his arm under her outstretched one and supporting her shorter body as they closed the remaining distance to the awestruck group. They were still trembling from the sudden attack and still riding the adrenaline high back to Normalville.

"You all did well in responding to that attack, I'm just sorry they pulled something like that. Aren't these things supposed to be like reality situations, Sephiroth?"

He nodded. "But no monster will just pop out of thin air like those did. This was planned to test you and call out what you did at Banora. Hopefully you passed."

"What happened to Lee?" a young looking Third asked tentatively.

Kituna patted his shoulder. "He's back at HQ, that's what happens when you die in a simulation, although, he shouldn't have had to go through that immense pain to get back. But no one else is dying…"

She paused as the world around them began the de-digitalization, the turning and flipping squares of data flashing to the neutral greens and blues as they were transported from the virtual Desert back to the small training cell in the Training Room. She looked up to see Hojo and Hollander scribbling away on their clipboards as they looked over rewinds of the simulation and found Rufus and Lazard.

"I thought we were to make it to the Deserted Island, what gives?" she demanded gruffly.

Lazard rushed in but hung back when he didn't know really where to examine her to make sure she wasn't injured given her 'lean on me' routine she was pulling off on the general. She waved him to calm down which he did reluctantly.

"Don't worry about me; Sephiroth is all I need to lean on at the moment, just tired, no real injury. The President's new toy isn't broken, you can assure him." She bit out.

Lazard straightened from his examining crouch and cleared his throat behind his white gloved fist. "Ahem, well, he will find that out soon enough. He wants a private session with you right away."

"Now." It wasn't a question, a confirmation that he wanted to know her weakness to exploit it for his means.

Lazard nodded once and exited the cell with the rest of the fourteen other SOLDIER. Genesis and Angeal hung back to make sure they weren't needed but Sephiroth shooed them out with the others as he helped Kituna out of the cell.

Rufus stepped out from behind the computers and offered his arm for support and after looking up to thank Sephiroth; Kituna took it, leaning heavily on the vice president. "Thank you Sephiroth," he replied coolly, "I'll see him to my father's office and let you know when you can return for him if he still needs assistance when we are through."

Sephiroth nodded and looked down at her before leaving, "Don't show him any weakness."

"Didn't plan on it big guy. Thanks, I'll see ya soon." She said as she positioned her arm around Rufus' shoulders as if they were buddies sharing a laugh and a good time and walked down the hall towards the elevator with Rufus. When they were enclosed and alone she looked up at him, his face was void of emotion. "So you wanted to speak with me?"

His dark blue eyes looked down at her and he smiled. "I did and still do, but unfortunately it'll have to wait until after _Father Dearest_ has his word with you. Then we shall have our talk on our way back here and you can meet Sephiroth or whoever or go to your suite alone for a nice long rest."

She smiled and leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "That sounds wonderful." She moaned as fatigue threatened to take her under. Her eye lids felt like two ton weights as she forced them open when the doors to the elevator clicked to slide open and she pulled away from Rufus. She waved a little as her feet took her full weight and they stepped into a short passage and Rufus held up a hand in greeting to a security camera that focused on them as they neared the door.

The metal door slid open with a low hiss and the two stepped inside to stand before the large dark wood desk where the President of ShinRa Electric Company sat behind in his large backed chair with a calculating, greedy grin smacked on his face.

"What a pleasure that my dear son has finally decided to show his little toy to me."

Kituna fought back a shiver and her gag reflex at his voice, it was like a sex predator's who's landed in a Sorority House party during a scantily clad pillow fight.

"Let's hope you perform for me as you have for him to have brought you on privately. Don't disappoint me, boy, or as you saw in the simulation, I will get you to do what I want by any means."

"I know your reputation, _Sir_." She spat.

He smiled wider. "You got fight in ya, just like Sephiroth can be at times, I like that. But be warned, you belong to me as an asset to the ShinRa Electric Company and if you must be whipped into obedience like the dog you are I will do so joyfully. Obedience is key in a corporation like this. I trust you understand."

"A whipped dog doesn't always cower, sometimes they bite back." She answered. "_Be warned_."

"We'll see, boy." His eyes darted to his son and his gaze softened slightly. "You've made me proud once again, son. You are both dismissed." He waved his meaty hand at the door and both blondes beat foot out into the short passage and Rufus punched the button to open the elevator.

They slipped in and Kituna leaned back against the far side of the small space and sighed with exhaustion.

"Can you make it back to your room?" Rufus asked her, his finger hovering over the buttons, trying to decide if he should just drop her off to find her way back to her suite or if he should take her elsewhere.

"I can… wait…" she paused as another wave of fatigue crashed into her, blackening her vision for a minute or two, "nope, don't think I can actually." She slumped further down the wall.

"My floor is a few floors down, I'm taking you there." Rufus decided as he punched the button for his floor and went to wrap his arm under hers and hoist her to lean against his body as the elevator quickly lowered down the five floors to his.

"What about…Sephiroth?" Kituna managed as she was half dragged, half led down a soft carpeted hallway.

"You can send him a message after you've rested and explain things if you must but he's a big boy and can handle himself without you." Rufus answered simply as he bent slightly and scooped her up.

At the difference in weight distribution, Kituna shot her eyes open to catch a glimpse of a grand bedroom being revealed as Rufus kicked the door open with his black shoe. It had black walls with dark and pale blue accents. It was dark and lovely, not bright and hyper which she appreciated so much. She was carried over to the large bed and felt herself being laid out on the soft covers. She felt her feet lift and fall in turn and the slight bite at a change in temperature as her boots were pulled off, then the harness that crossed her chest was unbuckled and she heard the clink of the weapons as they were laid down on the soft carpeted floor by the boots. Her mask was next and she breathed in deep on instinct, her lungs hungrily taking in the spicy aroma of the suite. It was a more sophisticated spice than the one Sephiroth smelled like, his more husky and dangerous smelling. Her cloak was then unzipped and pulled from her shoulders with her gloves and she was left with her snug black leggings and tunic that hung loosely around her figure now that her belt was no longer holding it close to her. Well, looser anyway, while it still fit her to show she was indeed a female. But she wasn't worried about that right now, she was being lifted into a cradle against a great warmth and she clung to it until she was lowered onto soft sheets, her head resting on cloud-like pillows then covered by soft blanket after blanket.

She sighed as sleep dragged at her mind and body, but the warmth was leaving her. She only knew that she was somewhere soft and safe from whatever had troubled her, not remembering why in her fatigue or how she had gotten so tired or how she had gotten here. She reached out with a pathetically weak arm she was ashamed in but it got the attention she was after.

A warm grip closed around her slender hand and she tugged at it to get it closer. There was a pause as her weak tugs pulled the warmth and then after another few tries the heavenly covers were lifted long enough for the warmth to slip under them.

Pleased with her rewarded efforts, Kituna smiled and pulled the warmth by touch and feel and found the broad expanse she had been cradled to before the soft covers and pillows and she burrowed into it, rubbing her face against the hard, yet soft surface of her heat source. She wrapped her arms around hit and let herself drift in the demanding black vastness of sleep with a content grin lingering on her lips, the foreign heat source calming her aching muscles and the subtle spicy scent of it soothing her mind.

_**Sorry for the not updating sooner, been busy with business stuff and stressed out . anyway, please review.**_


	12. Murder He Wrote

**Chapter Twelve: Murder He Wrote**

_**Was listening to Shut Up and Sleep With Me by Sin With Sebastian back to back while writing this so I don't know if that will effect it or not XP please enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my own OCs**_

Sephiroth frowned as the lights dimmed slightly to accommodate the later hours of the building. He looked up as the elevator dinged yet again with hope of seeing Kituna as A being delivered by the Vice President but was once again disappointed as a small group of scientists bustled by with clipboards and white coats.

He glanced up at the clock high on the wall and growled to himself. It was already five in the afternoon, she had been up with the President for more than four hours! What could he possibly be saying that took up that much time? He didn't even trap his precious Rufus in his office for that long, ever. Something had to be wrong. He could feel it.

He pushed away from the wall he had been leaning on and was headed toward the elevator when a thought stopped him.

_She had been tired after the simulation, hadn't she? Maybe Rufus escorted her to her apartment. _He considered how exhausted she had been and decided that had to be it.

He smiled and pushed the button to open the elevator and pressed the button for his floor. When the doors opened he turned to the door opposite his and keyed in the password he had seen that first day. Another smile spread across his face with a short laugh when the door opened. She hadn't gotten the chance to change it yet. He'd have to remind her to change it before anyone else found out about it.

He stepped across the cream plush carpet and looked around at the matching walls. He found the large bed and was shocked to find it empty. He tilted his head as he stepped up to it and laid a gloved hand on the soft duvet. His eyes studied the pillows as if by concentrating enough on the fluffy squares would magically make her head framed by her dark golden hair and with her amethyst eyes shining up at him appear there where it should be.

Maybe she was relaxing in the shower?

His head slowly turned toward the bathroom door, his eyes not leaving the head of the bed until his face was facing the door completely. He thus continued to scrutinize the dark wood door, trying to make sense of why their wasn't steam rising from the crack by the floor carrying the scent of the shampoo and body wash she loved to use from Banora. He tried to understand how she could be showering without making a noise, no water hitting the tile, no scrubbing or humming, no slap of wet hair as it was washed and rinsed. Nothing.

The apartment was empty.

He felt the warmth of the expectation of seeing that she was okay change to the heat of anger. Where was she if she wasn't here? Why wasn't she back from wherever she had gone and come back here like she was supposed to?

His vision began fogging over as his long fingers curled into broad fists, the leather creaking under the strain, his muscles down his arm bulging as he thought of who she had to be with because he was the last one she was with. Rufus ShinRa.

He took deep breathes for a while, calming himself down. He couldn't rage against the Vice President, he'd be fired no matter how good of a SOLDIER he was. He sat on the bed and decided he would wait here for her to get back.

He propped himself against the head board so that he was facing the door and crossed his booted feet so the soles were off the duvet and crossed his arms against his bare chest.

080

Kituna smiled in her sleep and snuggled closer to the softness where her face rested. She reached around it and hugged it closer to her body and sighed as she pressed her face into the warmth. She opened her eye that wasn't pressed against her 'pillow' and groggily took in her surroundings. Black walls… weren't the ones in her apartment cream or some form of white?

Puzzled she blinked to clear her vision and slowly lifted her head to scan the room better. She pushed her torso off the incredibly soft mattress slightly so she had a better vantage point and saw only black and shades of blue… What?

The suite was larger than her apartment too, where was she?

She glanced down at her 'pillow' and gasped. She had been laying, cuddling up against, Rufus ShinRa!

He cracked open his left eye to reveal a sliver of sapphire blue and grinned up at her, flashing his brilliant white teeth.

"Hey there, sleep well?" he asked with a low voice. It almost sounded seductive if she hadn't known better.

"Uh… was a little disoriented waking up but yeah… I'm fine. Um, why am I… here?"

He shifted slightly and she became aware that she had been laying under his arm so that he had draped it loosely against her back. She started to pull away but he wasn't moving his arm, rather keeping it in place, trapping her where she had slept.

"You were too exhausted to make it to your own suite so I took you here when you told me you couldn't make it. You were out like a light." He replied.

"And why am I in your… bed?" she looked down at their bodies, clothed yet still under the same covers on the same mattress….

"Hey, this was all your idea." He defended himself.

Her eyes shot up to his face. "What?"

"I laid you down and you wouldn't let me go. You pulled me to where I am now." He smiled wider. "Not that I'm complaining any."

Okay that deep tone was definitely seductive if not well on its way to it.

Kituna blushed and smiled because she didn't know what to say to that.

"Hell, sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Kit." He released her from his arm but didn't pull away or get out of the bed.

Kituna blushed even more when she found herself waiting for him to. Why would he get out of _his_ bed? She should be the one leaving.

But even though she told herself to push away from him, to yank off the perfectly arranged covers and the softest sheets she had felt since her time in the City of the Ancients, to storm out of that room and return to her apartment… she remained where she was. Cuddled against his broad chest with her hand resting on his abs. Why didn't she push away?

He studied her for a moment and when it was apparent that she wasn't moving he returned his arm to where it had been. Still no protest. He smiled, _nice._ His smile returned and he closed his eyes. "You know, you're welcome to come up here whenever you want, we are in this together and I know it must be a lot of stress. I can somewhat relate, so if you need to talk or just take a load off or chill. No pressure, nothing has to be said here. But I am here and all ears."

Kituna settled back down on the ultra-fluff pillows and stared up at the ceiling before turning her head to look at the digital clock to sit bolt up-right.

"Is it really midnight!" she reached for her PHS to realize she wasn't wearing her cloak or any of her gear. Not caring why that was in her urgency to locate her phone.

"What's the matter?" Rufus asked as he sat up beside her.

"I need my phone… where is my phone…" she patted herself down and started searching under the covers and sheets.

Rufus chuckled at her efforts and reached to the floor beside his side of the massive bed to retrieve her leather cloak and pull her elusive phone from one of the pockets. He let the cloak fall and turned back to offer her the small device.

Her eyes focused on the small gray appliance and she latched onto it, flipping it open and typing furiously on the keypad.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a grin as he rested his back into a few of the piled up pillows.

"Sephiroth must have been expecting me earlier in the evening, wanting to make sure I was okay and all. He must be worried sick… I'm sending him a quick message to let him know I'm okay." She pressed the green Send button and closed the phone before joining Rufus on the pillow pile.

"Hey, why do you get comfier pillows and blankets and stuff than I do?" she asked as she sunk into the cloud-like squares. "I mean the ones I've gotten are fine and do their job but… some of these would be nice."

"Sorry, First Class SOLDIERs only get so many perks. But my door is always open to you. You can use my bed whenever want." When she went rigid he laughed, a deep and lovely sound. "With or without me in it, Kit, my couch is just as comfortable."

"Of course." She mumbled as her phone beeped three times, indicating an incoming call. She flipped it open and looked at the screen, her eyes widening. "It's Sephiroth."

"Didn't you tell him you were okay?"

"Yeah, I guess he wants to make sure?" she answered the call and put the phone up to her ear. "Hey, Sephiroth."

"Are you really okay? You were really exhausted after that simulation, you could barely stand."

"Yes, nothing a little nap couldn't fix."

"So what did the President want?"

"Just to make sure I knew he was in charge. We had a lovely little conversation and made our points clear."

His deep throaty laughter filled her ear. "I would have loved to see that. But where did you take a nap?"

"Well…"

"Kituna. Where are you right now?" his tone was all serious.

"In the Vice President's suite."

"What?"

Kituna glanced over to see if Rufus had heard the general's outburst and winced when she saw he had. The anger was clear on his face, his body tensing. She heard a shuffling somewhere else in the suite and looked past the foot of the bed to see a large black creature padding into the room.

"A, Dark Nation, come here!" Rufus crooned.

Kituna stared as the black Hound bounded up, stubby tail wagging. "That's your pet?" she asked, forgetting she was still on the phone.

"His _what?_!" Sephiroth demanded.

Kituna quickly cleared her throat to reassure him, "It's his… Hound, Dark Nation. What did you think I was talking about?"

Rufus, not able to hear both sides of the conversation, looked up and laughed causing her to blush a deep shade of red. "Sephiroth," he called out loud enough to be heard through the receiver, "what are you so worried about?"

"Seph, honestly nothing's going on! I was just too tired to make it to my suite and I just woke up a few minutes ago. I was confused too but everything's fine."

Sephiroth growled and there was the sound of leather sliding across a duvet then the thud of boots across soft plush carpet.

"Seph? Are you in your apartment? Did I wake you up with the text?"

"Not…. Not exactly, no." he mumbled. There was a long pause.

"Okay… then where are you?" she unconsciously reached out to stroke the black velvety fur of Dark Nation, catching herself only when there was a thrum from the creature as it rubbed against her palm.

"It likes you." Rufus smiled.

Kituna smiled back but let it fall as she returned her attention to Sephiroth. "So where are you?"

"I'll meet you in the lobby on SOLDIER Floor in five minutes. Be there."

The call ended and Kituna pulled the phone away to stare blankly at the blank glowing screen before it went black.

"What did he want?" Rufus asked as he scratched Dark Nation under its chin, the tentacle waving slightly, its eyes half closed in the pleasure of being petted by two sets of hands.

"He wants to meet me on the SOLDIER Floor in five minutes."

She pushed the covers from her body and swung her legs out to stand and stretch. She walked around the bed, aware that both Rufus' and Dark Nation's eyes followed her as she found her neat pile of leather and weapons.

"Did you undress me?" Kituna asked with a small grin. _Awkward…_

"You were kinda out of it…" he trailed off.

She pulled on her cloak and boots, buckling and zipping them up before strapping on her katanas and checking her materia. She pulled on her gloves next and picked up her mask.

"Thank you… for letting me stay here and… for… taking care of me?" Had he done that really? She thought of him getting her comfortable while modest for the long rest she obviously needed and the fact he had taken her here where she wouldn't have had to be dragged or carried into her apartment. He could have let her be seen in a moment of weakness that the President could have used against her but he took her where only he would see her. The protectiveness eased her. "Yeah, thanks for all that."

He stood with Dark Nation leaping to his side. "It was nothing, like I said, you're always welcome here. The code to get in is 'dark nation', no caps." He rubbed Dark Nation's black head against his leg affectionately.

"I'll remember that." She said and bent down to rub Dark Nation's panther-like ears, sending that small tail wagging again. "You know, it's kinda sweet and _really_ soft."

"Yeah, one of the few good things I got out of this company."

She straightened and glanced at the clock. "I should go, Seph's expecting me in four minutes."

"Take care."

She nodded and fastened her mask and flipped up her hood on her way exiting the suite and entering the elevator, pushing the button gently for the SOLDIER Floor.

080

As soon as the door hissed shut Rufus walked stiffly over to the large mirror over his dresser he had no idea was doing in his room. It was supposedly an antique and it had been his mother's. He vaguely remembered playing around with it when he was younger, pretending to be in the older days, the Golden Days as the elderly called it. Now you usually saw these amongst the poorer class, not having enough money for the large closets the rich had. Kituna would have used one of these, wouldn't she? She was from many years ago apparently and she had used the antiques back in the Rhaspsodos mansion in Banora as the wash basin had been wet when he'd been in there last.

Funny he would remember that when he didn't dwell on the thought a few days ago.

He sighed. It felt like so many more days had passed than the five that had actually passed. He looked up at the clock reading that it was almost one in the morning. Okay, so the six days now.

Dark Nation rubbed against his leg before padding back to its bed to go back to sleep. What was he doing? Why? Killing his father and his cronies because they were just greedy mother fuckers who were destroying lives. Okay, that summed it up. But wasn't he going to be doing the same thing when he rose to power? No, he would be different because now he had Kit. She'd make sure everything turned out hunky-dory alright.

He cursed. He still needed to talk to her. Why did he have to talk to her?

He had already forgotten. Was there even a reason in the first place or did he just want to spend time with her? She wasn't hard on the eyes, that was obvious, and by what he'd been told Sephiroth, Angeal and especially Genesis were following her like homesick puppies.

Fine. While they groveled at her feet he would be the gentleman with more to offer and sweep her off her feet. It was a simple plan in his head but he knew it wouldn't be that easy, she wasn't some poor employee that dreamt of getting in bed with him. That was made quite obvious with how uncomfortable she had been when she woke up next to him in his bed even fully clothed. But she didn't get out of the bed until Sephiroth had told her to, that meant something, didn't it?

He walked over to his large kitchen and heated some water to make his blackberry tea. As the water steamed and started to boil he made up his mind. He was going to go out with the boys and her next time they were out and about which should be tomorrow as they were getting a break from combat that day. He smiled at his plan and after he poured his cup of tea went into his large walk-in closet to select a suit for such occasion.

080

Kituna exited the elevator on the SOLDIER Floor to find Sephiroth already there. She hurried over to where he was sitting in one of the generic sofas and sat down next to him.

His eyes, usually a pale mint green, were a dark peridot. He looked over at her and uncrossed his arms as he stood.

"We aren't staying here?" he shook his head. "Then why meet here in the first place?" she asked, confused.

He led the way to the elevator and they took it to the main lobby before exiting the building intirely. Sephiroth led Kituna down street after street until they were at the edge of the city. He continued until they were walking through a large grassy field with banks of various trees in the distance.

"Seph, where are we going?"

"Somewhere more private."

Kituna looked around at the vast space they had entered and couldn't see anything or anyone at all, having passed any form of path or road a long time ago and no buildings, even abandoned ones, dotted the scenery.

"I think we are somewhere private."

Sephiroth stopped and turned to her.

"Kituna…"

When there was a long pause she tilted her head and took off her mask, letting her hood fall around her shoulders as well to let her hair loose along with it. "Yes Seph?"

She felt the pain lash out at her like a palpable force that was so strong she almost stumbled back. He gripped either of her shoulders and looked down into her wide, frightened eyes.

"What are you doing here?" his voice was strong but she could detect the pain underlying the question.

"You… asked me to meet you?" she tried to disengage his hold but he stepped along with her, still holding on tightly.

"No! I meant why are you _here_? Why did you come to Midgar? Are you even from Dirkna?"

Kituna looked down and shook her head but didn't answer verbally.

"Then where?" he insisted.

"Here. I'm from here, Midgar. But that's all I can tell you."

"Why can't I know why you're here? Why can Rufus?"

"Because it is a matter between him and me alone. It is classified, no one else can know." Kituna answered, her eyes shooting up to meet his with a determined gaze. She wasn't going to say anything more on the matter.

Sephiroth let out a strangled noise that sounded like the beginning of a sob but bit his lip before it could become that. Instead, he shook her roughly and leaned closer. "Back in Banora, you were going to tell me something. Behind the waterfall before that attack, you were going to tell me something. What was it?"

"Nothing about this." Kituna said as she searched her memory for that lazy afternoon. She remembered she had woken from a dream and felt compelled to tell him something from it but also felt guarded about it. She had a feeling it was information that could give her away. "You know what I am?" maybe she could tell him half of why she was here, or at least some things to get him to lay off.

"What?" his grip loosened as he leaned in even closer to catch every word she was about to say, so he didn't miss a single word she spoke softly.

"The Ancients, you know of them? The Cetra people who once ruled the Planet as her children before humanity grew?"

He had hear about the Cetra. He nodded.

"I… I am a Cetra, by birth. Therefore I can connect and commune with the Planet and those in the Lifestream."

Sephiroth nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"I had a dream behind the waterfall about someone who came to me wanting you to know something. She wanted you to know… your mother loves you." Kituna studied the general's face as he processed what she had just told her.

"My… mother?"

Kituna nodded.

"Jenova?" Sephiroth whispered as he looked off to the side, going through what he'd been told of his mother by Hojo. "She loves me?"

Kituna quickly shook her head. "No, Sephiroth, Jenova was _not_ your mother."

The swordsman turned to look at her. "Then who was? My father told me she was named Jenova."

"He lied, that was… something else." What all could she tell him without inducing the incidents of the past? She couldn't bear to fight him, not when she'd promised to protect him.

"Then who is my real mother?"

"A former scientist of ShinRa, Lucrecia, Lucrecia Crescent. She had been working with Hojo when you were conceived. She came to me to let you know _she_ loved you and misses you. Jenova was something completely different that you should never think about again. Promise me, you will _never_ think about Jenova again."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes but nodded. "Lucrecia…" he said softly, trying the name on his tongue and smiling at the sound of it. "It sounds lovelier than Jenova."

Kituna smiled up at him and nodded. "I'm doing what I am because of her, for you and Genesis and Angeal and so many more people, but none of you can know. Because that would ruin it. I wish I could tell you everything, Seph, but I can't. Don't hate me because of it."

He smiled down at her. "I could never really hate you, Kit."

A warm breeze blew around them and Kituna knew it to be an overjoyed Lucrecia, she suspected that Sephiroth knew it on some level of consciousness, too, even though he wasn't fully aware of it. She saw him smiling and that was all she needed to see right now. It fit his features much better than an angry scowl.

080

As Sephiroth lounged against his massive bed he stretched. Today had been good and he was exhausted from stressing himself out. Although technically it was the next day as he had stayed up past midnight waiting for Kituna to return back to her room.

He was drifting off to sleep when his PHS beeped.

He picked up the phone and looked at the screen. One message from VP Rufus Shinra.

Great, just the guy he was dying to talk to. Not. He would much rather punch the guy's face in just for being involved with Kituna in anyway and more so for being in on something to do with him personally that he couldn't know about.

Reluctantly he opened the message only because he was his boss and it was probably important.

_Meet me in my office, now._

Okay. So much for sleep.

Sephiroth pushed off the bed and brushed off his coat before exiting his suite. He paused as he pressed the button for the elevator and looked over at Kituna's apartment to the right. He'd much rather be headed there although he couldn't and should forget about it. He couldn't.

He forced himself into the elevator and pushed the button near the top for the VP Office, right below P Office.

As the elevator lifted up past floor after floor, Sephiroth closed his eyes and thought about the walk home with Kituna. She hadn't put on her mask and hood until the first path came into view so he had had a perfect view of her smiling face and long, flowing hair as it shone like dark honey in the starlight. She was beautiful when she was smiling, something he wanted to make her do more.

Okay, new train of thought with that one.

He opened his eyes just as the doors slid open to the hall leading to the Vice President's office. He marched down to the door and punched the buzzer. He waited as the security camera checked him out and walked in when the door slid open.

Rufus was seated in a red leather high back chair with his legs crossed and one hand flipping through his phone with the other holding a steaming cup of what smelled like blackberry tea. Sephiroth was vaguely reminded of Kituna as she rested in a puffy cream colored chair sipping that very stuff. He quickly pushed the memory away and focused on the lounging Vice President of ShinRa.

"Sir?"

"Ah, Sephiroth." Rufus said without looking up from his phone. "I have an important matter to discuss with you."

He looked up and smiled, flipping his phone closed. "We are all aware that the company, while thriving, is in a critical state of leadership. My father is simple minded and only cares about reaching the Promised Land and living richly, his executives are the same. I believe I am not the only one who thinks so?"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes.

"Don't worry, I am not. Lazard believes so as well and I take it you don't like him or his chosen subordinates any more than I do. That is why I have come to you, the strongest SOLDIER First Class, the Mighty General, for help on solving this problem."

Sephiroth shifted his weight to one foot as he crossed his arms.

"What did you have in mind?"

"You killing my father and his precious head of departments as well. Except for Hojo and Hollander of course. As much as I'd love to see them in their own blood they are useful for now. And don't worry, this is all confidential, need to know basis that only you and I are on the list of. Is that clear? For safety precautions of course. I will find someone to pin the murders on in place of you so I suggest you do it cleanly."

Sephiroth nodded. This wasn't a request, it was an order. He eyed his soon to be President. For some reason Rufus knew he wouldn't turn him down, knew that he had it in him to kill the pompous fool that was his father. That was fine with him but he couldn't help but feel like he wasn't being given the full story. Just like with Kituna. There was something they weren't telling everyone, something they both knew. Something having to do with him, Genesis and Angeal.

As he turned and exited the office he made up his mind. He was going to do some digging around the files of the President and other heads of departments to find answers to what they were up to. Then he would consider how he'd take to the new leadership.

_**Review?**_


	13. A Cup of Tea

**Chapter Thirteen: A Cup of Tea**

_**Okay, so Rufus is wanting to change history for his own benefit, how will Kituna take this? Or will she ever find out? I take it Rufus and our favorite silver haired SOLDIER won't flat out tell her and can cover a dirty deed. But emotions are growing, relationships changing, Kituna may be strong, but she is in fact a young woman living amongst many hot and strong men. What's a girl to do in a situation like that?**_

_**Disclaimer: Only own my OCs, everything else belongs to Square Enix. Enjoy!**_

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes as he leaned against the wall of the President's office, watching as the bulbous man stroked his yellow mustache while poring over documents. He was barely registering most of them, only paying attention to the ones regarding land gain and the growing war. His blue eyes glanced up briefly to see Sephiroth was still there.

"SOLDIER First Class, Sephiroth, what are you still doing here? Your report is finished and I have work to do."

"You seem to be breezing through it Sir, got somewhere to be?" Sephiroth asked as he rubbed a materia in his closed hand with a gloved thumb.

"Yes, another meeting."

"In the Slums no doubt."

"Where my meetings take place is of no concern to you, Sephiroth. I suggest you go while you have the chance to do something normal as the war is not stopping anytime soon. You might be getting an assignment any day now." The President ruffled through more papers, setting aside the majority in the 'ignore' pile. The equivalent of the 'trash' pile.

"I have something I need to do today too." He pushed off from the wall.

The President looked up, mouth slightly open as he half paid attention to the man in front of him across the room and the document in his hands. "Yes, then I suggest once again that you get to it." He waved the silver haired swordsman away, but he remained where he was.

"Yes, I should, the sooner I do the sooner I get to kill the others." Sephiroth activated the materia and began to slowly chant the spell, giving the President enough time to realize what the general was talking about.

He pushed away from his desk and was bolting for the door, eyes bugged and mouth gaping like a fish out of water. The spell seized hold of his body, stopping his heart abruptly and savagely, bringing the man stumbling to the rich red carpet of his office and gasping mechanically for air as his organs screamed for oxygen that wasn't coming because the little red powerhouse in his ribcage was shut down for the evening and taking a holiday for life.

Wide blue eyes screwed wildly in eye sockets until resting on cold, iridescent mint green.

"Lights out, Mr. President, but don't worry, your close executives will be joining you shortly." He smiled as he pocketed his materia and pressed the lock code into the key pad by the door before exiting. He took the elevator down to his apartment's door and once inside he took out his PHS speed dialed.

"It's done." He said blandly into the receiver.

"Good, whoever will you go after next?" Rufus asked with an amused smile. Things were going perfectly for him now. Who knew it would be so easy to get what you wanted?

"You sure I can't skin Hojo alive?"

"Positive, he may be a lunatic but he's proven useful for now. As soon as his use expires, you'll be the first to know."

"Okay then, why don't I keep it a surprise for you, Sir?"

"That sounds lovely. See you soon." Rufus hung up before the general could ask why he'd be seeing each other soon and stroked the outfit he had laid out for the 'date' with Kituna and the others.

He wasn't going to do anything fancy as it was casual, just out with friends who happened to be employees. He rubbed the fine black silk of his shirt and smiled. It would be wonderful to have her to himself again, though.

Oh, well, baby steps. He walked back over to the kitchen and poured more tea. He glanced at the wall clock and smiled to himself. It was getting close to noon, time to make an appearance.

He drained his mug and straightened his white suite, leaving the coat on a chair. He grinned into the mirror over the dresser and ran a hand through his hair before entering the elevator and getting off on his father's floor.

As he headed to the office he flipped open his phone and pretended to be looking through the e-mails his father had sent about important issues. He entered the code to the office and stepped into the room to find the President's plump body sprawled out on the expensive carpet.

Sephiroth had done it cleanly, no blood was spilled, just a fine trickle of drool squeezed out by the icy clutches of death. No camera had caught the crime, no cameras were on this floor to catch the act. Rufus couldn't just let his favorite killing machine get put to death for treason, now could he? Of course not, not when more killing was to be done.

He dropped his phone in a 'state of shock' and rushed to the phone on the desk to dial security that came in a matter of seconds. It was the Turks.

Tseng and Elena burst into the room, guns drawn to see the President gawking at the ceiling without blinking in a most uncomfortable position and the Vice President trembling with the phone still clutched in a death grip. He was gripping the phone so tight his knuckles were white and the plastic of the receiver cracking under the pressure.

"Rufus?" Tseng said warily as he lowered his gun, sliding it back in its holster. "Are you alright?"

"My father… is he alright? Is he really dead? Is this some _sick_ trick?" the Vice President seethed. "Because it isn't funny."

"Sir, I'm sure it is no trick." He looked down at the body before checking the pulse, getting the answer they all knew was coming. "He's really dead. I'm sorry for your loss. Is there anyway the killer could have gotten in here? We didn't notice anyone suspicious enter the building."

"We have Wutain spies infiltrate this building daily! I hope you start doing a better job, otherwise I won't be as kind on your positions as my father." Rufus threatened as he finally placed the receiver down.

Tseng bowed his head in respect. "Of course, Sir, we will find the killer."

"Just make sure you do your job." Rufus mumbled as he wiped his hand down his face. "I will go through my father's things as soon as the body is removed. I will be taking the position of President of ShinRa Electric immediately." He stalked past the stunned Turks and rode the elevator back down to his floor, a satisfied grin creeping across his face. Sephiroth had proven a great assassin. He'd have to remember that for the future, as long as Kituna was able to keep him from the past future that is.

080

Kituna pushed herself deeper under the covers as a gentle knock sounded on her door. She wasn't ready to meet the world right now.

"Five more minutes…" she called out as the door opened. She peeked from the edge of the covers where they had been pulled up at the side of the bed. It was Sephiroth. "What are you doing here?"

"I see your up and awake to greet the day." He chuckled as he sat at the foot of the bed, watching her with clear amusement.

"I'm still tired from the simulation. Rufus would have told me if there was an assignment."

"True there is no assignment, but you shouldn't dally away in bed, you'll grow soft." He smiled down at an exposed foot.

Before she could retreat it to the safety of the warm duvet, his long fingers were tickling it without mercy.

Kituna scrambled to get away, and in the process kicked off the rest of the duvet and ended up sprawled on the floor, gasping from the frantic giggle fest. She looked up with wide eyes as Sephiroth crawled toward her from the bed.

"Now, do I need to convince you to wake up again? or are you ready to get dressed?" he cocked a slim eyebrow and smiled devilishly.

"No! I'm up!" Kituna assured him as she got to her feet and grabbed her cloak, pulling it on and slipping into her boots. Once she was satisfied her feet were safe she buckled and zipped up.

Sephiroth watched as she suited up from a quite comfortable position on the mattress, stretched out with his hands clasped behind his head, propped up against the head board. He smiled like the cat that caught the mouse and was obviously enjoying himself.

"What are you smiling about?" Kituna growled, taking a seat in one of the plump easy chairs.

"You."

When he didn't continue Kituna blushed. Were they really getting close like this? No, it was just hormones and closeness. That was it. How many girls had he actually gotten to talk to recently anyway? She was telling herself it wasn't much. But she wasn't sure that the opportunity hadn't presented itself on more than one occasion. He had an elite fan group for Gaia's sake!

"Why?" she heard the words and blushed deeper. What did she care?

"I find you intriguing. You aren't like most pretty faces I come across and that is saying something. Usually all the pretty ones are the same, all about the material and the physical, but you're deep. May sound cheesy but I like you mind as much as I like your body."

"What about the things I can't talk to you about?" Wasn't he still mad at her for that?

"Thanks for reminding me about that. Anymore you'd like to share on that topic?" he grinned.

"I can't, but doesn't that still bother you?" she asked confused.

"Not that I have my own secrets to keep." He muttered.

"What was that?" she asked, more confused than ever.

Sephiroth shook his head as he sat up. "Nothing, I just trust you'll tell me if you have to or whenever you're ready. I trust you."

Kituna turned away and looked into her lap. "I trust you too." Wasn't that sweet? "So are we meeting up with the guys or something?"

"Yeah, thought we'd walk the streets, and you need to make an appearance as A. Especially after the simulation's events. The guys will be worried about their partner."

Kituna nodded and wiggled out of the chair to grab her mask from the table. She fingered the gold swirls and felt like it was a perfect fitting for her mask, a pretty wrapping for an ugly surprise. "Okay."

Sephiroth patted her shoulder comfortingly and she fastened the metal to her face and pulled up her hood.

"Let's go."

He led her from the building and down the street. And continued down and down until they came to a tiny park with a little patch of grass here and there. He sat on one of the concrete benches and patted the seat beside him.

"Genesis and Angeal will be getting here soon." He told her.

Kituna sunk onto the hard seat and leaned back. "May I ask what you guys have planned, or is that going to be a surprise?"

"Not a surprise, we're going to race chocobos." He replied with a smile. "Ever done that before?"

Kituna sat up straight. "Race chocobos? Wait a minute, like in the races? Where people bid?"

"No." he laughed. "Just ourselves and a couple of Genesis' and Angeal's Second Class buddies out on the Outskirts of the city. No bidding, just the loser has to buy dinner."

"We aren't stopping for lunch?"

"Nope. Better make sure you have enough rations in your pouch Kit, you'll need them."

Kituna did have enough rations in her pouch always but didn't fancy them as a decent lunch, more like a last resort besides the person beside you. She scowled.

"Not exactly my idea of fun, I think I'll pass."

The silver haired general cocked his head. "Really? Not into chocobos, only ride giant fernos?" he laughed. "Come on, today you're A, not Kituna. You're a man and men raced chocobos for the hell of it."

Kituna crossed her arms and shook her head. "No, I'm not. I'm only a man to be a SOLDIER, not to do crazy stunts on flightless giant birds! So, if you'd kindly excuse me." She stood and made her way back down the street towards the ShinRa building.

Sephiroth stood and followed.

"Come on, Kit, why not? It'll be fun." He said with a smile.

She kept walking.

"Nope, not going to happen. I'd much rather go on a mission. I'm going back to change and be Kituna again."

"Okay, then. What do you plan on doing as a fair maiden?" he asked with a smirk.

"Don't overdo it and I'll probably head down to the church in Sector 7, I think I'll meet someone there worth meeting." She answered, thinking of a certain demi-Cetra.

"Alright, I'll let the guys know A is too busy to come this time. See ya." He waved and turned back around.

Kituna stopped and watched as he walked back to where a few young men in dark blue SOLDIER uniforms had now gathered with Angeal and Genesis shoving each other as they came up to join them. They were all friends and going to do something they either loved and had done before or wanted to try, as Sephiroth had said, for the hell of it. She shook her head and continued on towards the ShinRa building.

As she walked through the sliding glass doors she was spotted by a large group of women, young and middle aged. She continued walking as they pointed and whispered things and didn't think much about it. That was until they headed towards her as a group. She turned and tilted her head, realization slowly dawning on her. Her fan club. Oh Goddess in the sky.

An auburn haired young woman grabbed her arm and looked up at her with large brown eyes and flashing a pearly white smile of perfect teeth. "A, oh Gaia I can't believe we actually saw you! I can't believe I'm actually _touching_ you! My friend stayed home, she didn't think we'd get to see you, man is she going to hate herself when I tell her this! Hey, can you take off your mask? We wanna see your face!"

Kituna was slowly processing what was going on and once she was surrounded in the sea of fangirls did she realize what could happen. She could be unmasked!

"Uh… sorry, but I can't. Rufus's orders ladies."

"Oooh, so you're sworn to secrecy, okay, can you sign some autographs though? Pwetty pwease?" the girl asked with a pouty face.

Kituna raised an eyebrow and tugged her arm from the girl to be grasped by another. Then another.

"Um, can you give me some space, please?" she asked in her manly voice.

The girls instantly let go of her and looked at their hands with wide eyes and gaping smiles like they had been turned to gold.

"Listen, I'm busy today, so maybe I can make an appearance at your club or something?" she tried. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with crazed fans right now.

The auburn haired girl nodded. "We call ourselves The A-Listers, in sole honor of you and your power! We occupy the building right in the Loveless Plaza before you enter Loveless Avenue!"

Kituna nodded. "Okay, I'll try to make it there one day."

"We're there just about every day from eight a.m. to eight p.m. if you can come between those times." A petite blond said, flipping her hair from her shoulders in a flirtatious manner and winking at her.

Kituna nodded and waded through the clinging bodies to the elevator, pushing the button for her suite's room. Then she had to wait as the elevator had already been in use and called by others on other floors. She mentally groaned her misfortune and was regretting bailing on Sephiroth and the others. At least she knew she did in fact have girls crazy over her male alter-ego. Just great.

She looked at the women and girls drinking her in with their wide, star struck eyes. It was sweet of them to become her fan but kinda weird, she was of the same gender after all. But by the looks of some in the crowd who were eyeing their fellow fangirls, they wouldn't care as much. She shuddered at the thought and turned back to the elevator as the doors opened. To find the Vice President there.

As Rufus saw her a smile broke across his face and he beckoned her in, eyeing the mob in the Lobby warily.

Kituna quickly slipped in to be followed by a young woman in a long white lab coat. As the door closed she pressed the button for the lab a few floors up and glanced over at the two others in the elevator with her. She blushed and smiled up at them.

Rufus smiled kindly back, but as Kituna's mouth was hidden by her mask, she was spared the formality. The scientist, judging by her coat, continued to stared at Kituna to the point the Cetra was a little bugged by it and finally looked at her to hopefully tell her that it was obvious and she should look at notes or whatever it was those in her department did. No such luck, in fact, it only encouraged her to speak.

"Hey, I'm Rosa, I work on the fifteenth floor with materia construction."

Kituna nodded and started to turn away.

"You know, we'd love to have a look at your materia, I believe you've said you got it as a family heirloom? That's very interesting." Rosa continued the one-sided conversation. "Anyway, we'd love to study it and maybe you can make a stop on the fifteenth floor lab sometime? Maybe during your lunch break or something, you don't have to but it'd be great if you could." She brushed her short black bangs from her eyes and looked at her black heeled shoes.

Was that a date she was insinuating? Kituna blushed. That was _so not_ going to happen.

"Listen, that materia is very special to me and it wouldn't feel right…" she trailed off, hoping she got the right idea to drop the subject altogether.

Rosa nodded. "Oh, of course, we understand. But maybe you can still make a stop up there? It doesn't have to be during lunch if you're busy with something else but maybe after hours?"

Rufus raised a golden eyebrow and looked down at the cloaked Cetra beside him, smiling at her situation.

Kituna mentally noted to punch him later. "I'm going to be pretty busy with some… stuff. Sorry."

Rosa nodded. "I understand, it was just a stupid, _stupid_ suggestion."

Gaia now she felt bad for making her feel like that. She wished she could just tell her why she couldn't meet up with her but that'd just ruin her whole mission. Plus, the lady would probably spread the word and then where would she be? She remained silent as the scientist got off the elevator and the doors closed once again.

The elevator continued up to the floor where Kituna's suite was and she got off, Rufus followed.

Kituna turned to the Vice President and cocked her head. "Mr. ShinRa? Is there a reason you got off on this floor? The others are off racing chocobos for the day…"

"I didn't want to see them, actually I was on my way to get some files from Hojo but he isn't expecting me. Then I saw you and figured I'd much rather be spending my time with you if you were free." He smiled as he swiped his card in her door's keypad, opening her apartment.

"You have access to everyone's room?" she asked warily. She wasn't so sure she liked that he had free reign to go in her room unannounced or not.

"Yes, especially now that I'm President, my father was murdered sometime last night." He cleared his throat and wiped at his eyes.

Kituna looked over her shoulder at him as she took off her mask and leather cloak. She knew he had never really liked his father but then again, she had cried over her enemies' deaths so she could see why he wouldn't want to show the tears he didn't want to shed for a man he didn't want to miss. She laid her gear down in one of the large cream chairs and went over to hug the tall blond.

"It's alright, you have people on the case, right?" she asked as she rubbed his broad back. He had a build similar to Sephiroth's and Genesis' she realized absently.

He wrapped his strong arms around her and inhaled deeply in her long dark golden hair. "Yes, the Turks are on it as we speak. There wasn't much left to investigate though. The kill was clean and no evidence has been found."

Kituna broke away and stroked his cheek tenderly. "I know what it's like losing a parent, even someone you weren't particularly close to, it leaves the same hole in your chest. Who found him?"

"I did, we were supposed to meet on a certain matter but I guess fate had other plans." Rufus said bitterly.

"That must have been horrible!" Kituna gasped as she paused on her way into the kitchen. "Here, why don't you pick a seat and I'll make some tea real quick." She filled her kettle with water and put it on to boil as she selected two bags of the blackberry tea stocked in the cabinets. She got down two large mugs and placed the bags inside and waited for the angry hiss of the kettle. She poured the steaming water over the bags and dropped in a single cube of sugar into each mug before carrying them to the massive couch where Rufus had planted himself. She handed him one of the mugs and set hers on the coffee table to unbuckle her leather boots, setting them under the table.

She retrieved her mug and curled her legs underneath her, shifting so she faced the new President.

"Is it hard? Having to fill his spot in the company?" she asked softly as she raised the blissfully warm mug of fragrant tea to her lips for a small sip.

Rufus sipped his tea and stared down at his lap for a few moments before shrugging. "It's just… I always thought he'd be here a little longer. He wasn't really a great father, but he cared about me somewhat. Enough to set all the codes to my birthday, at least, though still world domination and the Promised Land were first and foremost to him. Always."

"He was supposed to be here longer, I don't know what happened… maybe our tampering with time has affected more than just the resistance group AVALANCHE. I mean, I eradicated their numbers, only few remain if even any. Sephiroth said they had all been in that warehouse except Elfe but I don't think that was exactly all of them. That'd just be stupid of them. I don't even think Elfe was on her way there, even if she was that materia shard in her arm prevents her from dying by Seph. It doesn't make sense." Kituna said as she took another sip.

Rufus nodded. "It does sound a little fishy. Maybe he's hiding something? And Veld is Elfe's father right? Maybe they've made different choices now time's been reversed?"

"You aren't implying them being behind your father's murder, are you? Seph wouldn't do that unless he knew of Jenova and that hasn't even happened yet and I don't plan on letting it."

"I'm not implying anything, just wondering aloud." The blond reassured her.

She settled back into the couch and sipped her tea as the silence grew between them.

"I don't think we can safely assume anything about the future anymore, Kit. It's taking a different path and we have to be together on this." Rufus finally said softly into his almost empty mug.

Kituna nodded, her violet gaze staring down into the dark blue liquid that skimmed the bottom of her mug. She sipped the last of it and set the mug on the table.

"We have to protect them. We have to work together, better than we were before, we have to know what the other is doing at all times and not do anything without the other's knowing it beforehand anymore. Deal?" she turned to look up at Rufus.

He set his now empty mug beside hers and nodded. "Agreed. Of course, you can't be going off on random missions then, you'll have to stick close to me as I make my decisions here and around Midgar and other places ShinRa reaches."

She nodded. "That makes sense, you can take me off the general pool and have it to where I'm your personal guard like our original story." She suggested.

"Yes. I'll put out your status to the ShinRa public now." He pulled out his PHS and typed out her status in an e-mail to all the ShinRa staff telling them that A was now the personal guard of the new President of ShinRa, then selected the 'All' option of his contacts list and pressing send. "There, it's done." He turned to Kituna and returned his phone to his coat pocket.

Kituna laughed as her PHS buzzed from her coat pocket in the chair opposite them. "I wonder who that could be?" she made a face of complete oblivion.

Rufus barked a laugh and pushed her to stand up from the couch, his dark blue eyes following her as she went to retrieve the chirping device. "You better answer it, it may be important!"

"Oh, I hope everything's okay." she laughed as she flipped it open. "Oh, apparently my brother, A, is now the President of ShinRa's personal guard! I wonder why that happened." She announced as she returned to her spot on the couch.

"Maybe he's the most trusted of the SOLDIER elite and that's why he was chosen for the job." Rufus suggested, draping his long arm across the back of the couch.

Kituna nodded. "That must be it, after all, A is the best." She smiled and dropped the PHS on the table by the mugs.

"She is." Rufus agreed softly.

Kituna blushed and looked up at the ceiling.

Rufus exhaled and looked around the room. What was he doing? Simple conversation, that was all. They had tea, they discussed business, that was that. So why did he feel like he should be doing something? Or not have done something? Was that regret? He never felt regret, ever, that was one thing he had in common with his father. Add it to the list with murderer and greedy overlord and it was a done deal, no paternity test required. He was ShinRa's son alright. So, was he feeling ashamed? Ashamed of what, his past and present actions and past future actions? He looked over at the slim Cetra beside him. Maybe he was, ashamed enough to feel unworthy of his other feelings sitting along for the ride with shame and regret. He shifted in his seat, closer to the pretty blond beside him.

Kituna noticed the small shift and feeling overwhelmed, or not wanting to ruin the moment as he was obviously distressing over his father and searching for affection which he had never gotten from his father, let herself fall against the couch arm far away from the new President ShinRa. she left her legs to create distance between them and rested her head on her arms as she crossed them under her.

Rufus leaned back as he watched Kituna's little trip across the couch and should have taken no for an answer. She was probably assuming he was reaching out for love that was absent in his father's and his relationship in his life but that wasn't it. He had been attracted to her since the minute she barged into his office in the past future. She had that charisma about her that said she was strong in more ways than one. He liked that, she had a good head on her shoulders, and those shoulders led to a good body and that head had a good face. He shifted again to kick off his black boots and nudge them under the table and then sat there for a few moments. His eyes found her figure again, spread along the cream puff of the couch cushions and he became driven by instinct. He wanted her and she didn't exactly say no by laying that way. He'd give her a chance though, he wasn't going to do much, just show a little affection, take it slow, not ruin what they had for the sake of the future. After all, if worse came to worse he'd just be happy to have her as a guard. He decided there really wasn't anything stopping him and shifted again to crawl over her.

Kituna felt the dip in the couch cushion she was on and turned to see Rufus on top of her! Her eyes widened in alarm as he leaned his face close to her and nudged her face gently, almost like a puppy would for attention.

"Rufus, are you sure you want to be doing this? I mean, your father was just found murdered in his office, aren't you a little emotional right now?" she asked as he nuzzled her neck.

"Oh, I'm emotional, but not because of my father. It's because I had a startling beautiful woman barge into my office not that long ago and have been on a literally life changing adventure through time ever since. That's enough to drive any man crazy, I'd say, very emotional." He nudged her again, pleadingly almost, for acceptance. He was letting her decide. He wasn't going to be the player he had been before, that was one thing he had had in common with his father that he was going to change.

Kituna shifted under him and she looked around. "Okay, but are you sure?"

"Definitely," he purred as he brought his face up to hers, looking into her wide, deep glowing purple eyes. "I'd say I'm certain." He brought his face closer to hers, their mouths almost touching. He paused and looked with half lidded eyes into her still shocked ones. Was she waiting for him? Waiting to see if it was just a game or for him to pull away having realized he didn't want to? But he did, and he was.

He closed his eyes and softly brushed his lips against hers and held himself there, waiting for her response.

Kituna still had her eyes wide in shock as Rufus planted the soft kiss on her lips. He wasn't pushing, wasn't groping her. He wasn't searching for heated affection to replace the love connection he hadn't known to fill the void his father had unknowingly created, he was being gentle. She blinked, her eyes no longer wide in shock, but searching his face, curious to what he was feeling.

Not getting opposition, Rufus moved his lips against hers and reached a hand up to cup her jaw, loving the feel of her soft skin. She shifted under him again and he paused, pulling back slightly and opening his eyes to see her reaction. She was no longer wide eyed but speculative instead, judging him as he was her. He smiled and kissed her again, applying a little pressure this time, his eyes half closing as he let himself run his hand not holding him up along her cheek and into her silky dark gold hair.

Her hand went to his and traveled up his arm, feeling his muscles that he had been returning to their past future glory, to his shoulder where she clung to him. Was she enjoying this too? He sure hoped so. He sure was. He let his tongue slip out and lick her lip and heard her surprised gasp. He liked the way she tasted, it was like roses, especially with that blackberry tea lingering on her lips. He wondered what she tasted like inside…

Kituna felt a wetness slide across her lips and gasped. Was that… his tongue? What… where was this going? What was she doing? Or let be done as it was. She shifted again and felt him settle on her body, his legs resting on either side of her hips. He shifted his full weight from his right hand to his knees and she felt his hand instantly go to her waist. She wiggled at his touch but he kept contact with her, not moving anywhere uncomfortable. She calmed down and let him be in control…

Rufus grinned against her mouth as she calmed down under him and he let his hand go a little further up to her rib cage and let it rest there as he slipped his tongue in between her lips and then retreated, judging her reaction.

To his surprise she gripped him harder, perhaps liking how that felt.

A fire rose from his belly and he slipped inside her gain, finding a release for his affection in the caresses and kisses. She was warm and tasted heavily of blackberry tea as he imagined he did as well, after all they just drank a mug each of the stuff. His hand rose higher and she gasped again, breaking contact from his mouth.

He opened his sapphire eyes and breathed heavily to find his hand in a place it should probably have avoided if he wanted their make-out session to continue. He cursed to himself as he removed his hand from her and began to push his body off of her.

Kituna slowly sat up and wrapped her arms around her stomach. Where he had touched her, her face, her body, it was still tingling with electricity. She had never felt that way before, had never done that before. Had never been in that position. Sure Cetra men had been attracted to her, had made courting notions towards her and her parents at their consent as was proper. Not this, this was being reckless. What could have happened if they had continued? What if Rufus hadn't stopped himself? How far would he have taken it? She certainly hadn't tried to stop him. And more importantly, where did they stand now?

"Kit, I'm sorry I did that. Not all of it, just that last part about touching you… yeah." Rufus apologized from across the couch. "I didn't mean to go that far and all." He looked over at her and felt horrible as she sat there, leg curled under her and her arms across her middle, her eyes focused on her lap. "If I made you feel wrong in any way I'm really sorry…"

She looked up and shook her head. "It was just… different. I never did that before."

Goddess in the sky. "If I'd known that I wouldn't have… If you had said something I would have stopped." He apologized again feeling terrible in putting her in that unfamiliar position.

She smiled and shifted her weight so she was leaning closer to him. A good sign? Or just hopeful wishing?

"No, I liked it." She laughed nervously. "Just don't know where that leaves us…"

"Friends still I guess. Unless you want to be closer?" he offered, daring to shift closer and wrap his arm around her slim shoulders in a comforting hug.

She looked down at his hand and her smile broadened. "Yeah, friends sound like a nice start, no longer business partners but… friends. Close friends." She leaned into him and closed her eyes. "Although, we are not a couple yet, I am still a bachelorette."

Rufus laughed and smiled, leaning his head on top of hers. "We can take it slow, see where it goes, but always be friends." He felt her nod and closed his eyes.

_**Okay, so we knew that was going to happen, but what will our other manly men think about this? O.o You'll have to keep reading to find out! Please review!**_


	14. Helping the Planet

**Chapter Fourteen: Helping the Planet**

_**Disclaimer: Only own my OCs, everything else belongs to Square Enix. Enjoy!**_

Kituna glanced over at the clock high on the wall and stretched. She had fallen asleep against Rufus and almost forgot that she had a special date with a very special young flower girl at a certain church in the Slums.

As she sat upright she felt Rufus stir from his own nap and turned to smile at him as he blinked sleep from his eyes. He looked like he hadn't been getting much sleep lately and she wondered why.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty, how'd your little nap go?" she asked with a small grin.

He blinked over at her and smiled. "Morning, or good afternoon is it now?" he glanced up at the clock and nodded. "Yep, time to be getting up."

Kituna stood and picked up the two mugs to go rinse them in the sink, placing them upside down before heading over to her closet to pick out what she'd wear for her meeting in the church. She figured it was too cold today for a skirt or dress and decided on a pair of skinny jeans and a thick tan sweater. She went into the bathroom and ran some water to splash her face before slipping out of her A garments and into her casual wear.

Rufus was stretching by the kitchen counter when she emerged from the bathroom and she smiled over at him as he found a glass and filled it with water, still rubbing the lingering sleep from his azure eyes. She ducked back into the closet to pull on a pair of knee-high dark brown leather boots with a modest heel and selected a belt of the same material to fasten her materia along her waist. When she re-emerged she went to her bedside table for her brush to brush out her hair and turned to see the new President of ShinRa Electric Company leaning against the counter sipping his glass of water, dark blue eyes trained on her. She felt her blood rise to her face and quickly turned back to the table to return her brush to its designated drawer.

"So what are you busy with today that you couldn't hang around with your new fan group?" he asked, setting his empty glass of water on the counter with a soft clink.

"I'm going to meet Aerith at the church in the Slums and don't want to miss her. Wanna come along?" she said as she headed towards the door.

"If my choices are that or staying alone in your apartment, then yes." He replied as he moved his glass from the high counter to the sink, careful to place it upside down, identical to the pair of mugs already resting there.

"Then come on, hurry up! I let time go by too much as it is." She chided as she pressed the button to open the door with a hiss.

Rufus chuckled and followed her out into the hall. "But you didn't waste it, I gather?"

She grinned and looked down at the stainless steel floor as the door hissed closed and she swiped her card key to lock it. "Not exactly, no."

She turned to head towards the elevator when there was the hiss of a door closing shut. Rufus turned and stepped in front of her as a confused Genesis approached them. What was he doing here? Wasn't he out with the others chocobo racing?

"Good afternoon, President." Genesis greeted them, looking past the head of the company at the wide eyed Kituna. "Why hello there, Kit, what are you doing here?"

"Kituna is A's sister. He's the one she's visiting, we were just checking in on him and about to go now." Rufus answered before Kituna could fumble something together.

"I see, I didn't know he was your brother, that's pretty sweet." the SOLDIER smiled. "I just came in from racing the chocobo around with the boys, but I got called in for a fan group request down in Loveless Avenue. It was a shame your brother couldn't have raced with us, did he say what was up as to why he couldn't?"

Kituna shook her head. "He just likes to keep to himself."

"Ah, well hey, why don't you come and say hey to the others? They'd be shocked to know they've been working alongside your amazing brother." Genesis offered.

She shook her head with a smile. "Can't, sorry, I'm actually on my way to meet someone else and it's kinda important."

Genesis nodded his understanding. "Maybe we can hang out again sometime though like last time?"

"That sounds great." She didn't miss Rufus's frown and poked him in the side. "Come on, we really need to get going."

Genesis cocked his head. "You're going too, Mr. President?"

"Yes, I'm free for the day as things are being processed by the Turks for now so until it is all in order with my father's will, I have a lot of time on my hands. And Kituna is a close friend, being that her brother is my new personal guard and I have known them for some time now before they came to Midgar. Is there a problem?" Kituna could easily pick up the silent threat for the SOLDIER First Class to back off and hoped Genesis could as well.

Thankfully, the red clad swordsman shook his head. "No Sir, just trying to get head or tails out of the standing of authority here. I better be on my way too."

There was only one elevator on this floor so the tense trio had to board the elevator which meant they had to wait on the same car to arrive, press the same button for the Lobby, and ride the long descending ride down to their shared destination. And they did this in silence. Kituna, for safety measures, stood between the men and twirled her hair, trying to feign oblivion to the fact that both men were glaring daggers at each other and tensed for a fist fight. She didn't want to see the winner of that battle anytime soon.

When the blinking number above the door finally showed 'L' for the Lobby and the doors dinged open Kituna grabbed Rufus's coat sleeve and pulled him after her and out onto the streets, her boots clicking on the grimy concrete until they were far enough away from the ShinRa building and the path Genesis would have taken to get to Loveless Avenue. She turned and stopped abruptly.

"What was that about?" she demanded.

Rufus's eyes widened and he raised his hands on either side of him in innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. You were practically begging Gen to pull something with me. I could hear it in your voice and I know you better than you think."

He sighed and stuffed his hands in his coat pockets. Kituna crossed her arms and tapped the toe of her foot, not about to let him think he could blow off a response. Finally he looked at her, "I guess I was a little, _too_ territorial…"

"You have nothing to be territorial of, remember? We are not a _thing_ and Gen wasn't doing anything so it was completely uncalled for to begin with." She scolded as she turned to let them continue on their way to the church of Sector 7.

"But you aren't blind, you know he would have if I hadn't been there and what do you think asking you down to his fan group's meeting was, exactly?" he defended himself as he walked along beside her.

"I know what it was, but I was already busy and if I hadn't run into you in the elevator and you follow me into my apartment, I would have already been at the church with Aerith when he would have been stopping by his apartment before going to his fan group's meeting! So don't dare blame this on me or Gen."

"So I'm to blame for him trying to get you alone then?"

"No… just for us being in that situation to start with." She said irritably.

Rufus laughed. "I see, maybe I should have chosen a better place to run into and stall you in. I'll remember that next time."

The Cetra blushed and kept walking but a small grin did cross her face though she wouldn't have admitted to it. She was supposed to be mad at the blond President after all.

080

As they pushed through the double doors into the sanctuary of the church there was a small sound of surprise. Kituna smiled and waved at the slim brunette kneeling by the pale lilies.

"You're Aerith, aren't you?"

The young teen nodded. "You know me?"

Rufus hung back as Kituna nodded and went to kneel beside the demi-Cetra.

"I'm like you, special. You remember your real mom, Ifalna, right?" Aerith nodded. "I'm a lot like her."

The teen's dark green eyes widened. "You mean… but she said there weren't any more of us left…"

Kituna patted her shoulder gently and reached out to the flowers, smiling as they reached up toward her for her attention. "ShinRa had a far better hold on me than on you and Ifalna, I wasn't able to escape for the longest time. Then my parents helped me come back in time to right things and save lives, so you don't have to be burdened with saving the Planet." She wasn't sure she should be telling Aerith this, but it felt good to let her know. They were practically cousins after all. "But I was something ShinRa didn't want to mess with yet and I was isolated, you see, my father was a Cetra but my mother was…something the Planet wasn't so trustworthy of. Gaia wanted her gone like her sister, my aunt, and convinced the men of the area that feared us all to attack our small settlement. Gaia didn't know my father and his people would get killed in the process, then there was only another small settlement and that was where Ifalna descended from." She explained.

Aerith just stared at her flowers with a small frown as she absorbed the new information. Then her head snapped up, her long braid bouncing against her back as she stared at Rufus who was now sitting on one of the pews close by.

"He's…. the President's son… what's he doing here?" she started backing up and bumped her hip into one of the pews and was sent sprawling along the old wood floor, scrambling to get away.

"No! He came with me from the future, he knows what has to be done to protect it. He knows that things backfired before, he won't hurt you. I promise." Kituna assured her as she slowly stood. Why did she have the bright idea to bring Rufus, the head of the company that had terrorized Aerith and her mother Ifalna and even now watched her from the shadows of the crowds, with her? She should have seen this coming.

"You're talking nonsense! Time travel, partnering with ShinRa, they are the ones harming the Planet! If you were a Cetra you'd know that!" the frightened girl screamed, eyes wide in panic.

Kituna shook her head, edging closer to calm the girl. "No, you don't understand, just let me show you. You saw how the flower reacted to me, right? Only an Ancient can get the Planet to respond in that way."

"But you are with ShinRa who is harming the Planet, killing what welcomes and responds to you. How can you call yourself a Cetra!" she accused, pushing herself up along the wall and starting to edge along it.

"Aerith, don't go, we need your help. Ask your birth mother if you need her opinion, but I'm sure it will be in agreement with us." She finally offered. The girl obviously wasn't taking her word for it.

Aerith stopped and glared at her. "And if she speaks against it?"

"Then we will leave you alone." Kinda at least.

Rufus stood up. "I can wait outside if you'd like."

Aerith glared at him but didn't answer so Kituna nodded. "That would probably help somewhat. We shouldn't be long."

He nodded and quickly walked out of the church and closed the door behind him.

Kituna went and sat on the pew where he had been sitting and crossed her legs. "You can go ahead and commune with our ancestors Aerith, I will be anyway." She took a calming breath, readying for the trance-like state she entered to commune with her parents when she wasn't asleep.

"Why will you be communing?" Aerith asked as she sat on the far end of the opposite pew.

"I need guidance myself, things have become complicated and I plan on asking why from my father. If he's available that is, I might just get my mother again." she replied in a monotone voice without opening her eyes, already easing into the trance.

Aerith clasped her hands and bowed her head with closed eyes as she also, readied to enter the trance.

080

Rufus leaned back against the stone of the church's outer wall and turned his head up towards the Plate above. He couldn't help but wonder what they needed Aerith for and why now? Was something really wrong that they'd need her? Clearly, due to Kituna's stronger and more direct parentage, she was stronger than the flower girl in the Slums. What could she do that Kit couldn't?

If something was wrong though, she'd tell him, right? They had promised each other they would, especially now that they were going to be working closer together now among other reasons.

Or was he just hopefully wishing?

Knowing her, or knowing so little of her, he probably was.

But he could ask her later in private and find out then. After all, how bad could it be?

080

Kituna opened her eyes as the temperature dropped then rose to a comfortable tropic heat to see the ethereal fog of white with other Ancient beings in groups around her. Aerith wasn't here yet but they sensed she would be coming. Why else would this many be here? They always seemed to know when they were needed.

She spotted the tall figure of her mother and greeted her in a warm hug.

"Mother, is Father here?"

"Yes, my dear, although he is with the other high elders to consult with Aerith. They are over there." She broke apart and pointed to the small group of four men, one of which was Kituna's father. "You will be able to speak with him when she arrives."

"I need to speak with both of you, there is something wrong with the current present. The President of ShinRa has been murdered and we don't know who did it. I don't know what we did to cause it, but he wasn't supposed to die now, or a while really, given us stopping the Jenova revelation. I don't know if the murderer plans on killing anymore people or not." Kituna told her.

Aerith appeared then and looked around at the other Cetra with worried eyes until she saw Kituna there apart from the others with Shiroi.

Yochi approached her and smiled warmly.

"Aerith, we have been waiting. You have a question of urgency?" he asked.

Aerith looked up at him and nodded eagerly. "This young woman came to me and told me she was from the future and has come back to help right some wrongs in this past for a better future. But she has sided with ShinRa, the very ones that are hurting the Planet and corrupting the future, right?"

Yochi turned to see his daughter and beckoned her over. Kituna's smile broadened as she ran up to her father and wrapped her arms around him.

"It is good to see you Father!"

"Kituna is my daughter Aerith, and although she is a hybrid Cetra with another Ancient race, she is in fact from a dark future where you had to perform a duty of the Cetra and offer a great sacrifice to save the Planet from annihilation. In Kituna's past future, she witnessed all the suffering while imprisoned in crystalized Mako and therefore her abilities were enhanced, giving her unspeakable strengths given her mother's blood, but she wasn't able to do anything in that future. So I and her mother sent her back to a reasonable point without exhausting ourselves to much and that is this point in time. The Ancients here, her and the then President Rufus ShinRa are the only one's aware of the time reversal so that they can 'fix' the past and future." He explained.

Aerith clenched her hands into fists as she absorbed the information. "The duty of the Cetra I had to perform, what was it?"

"To perform the Holy spell in the afterlife to prevent the Meteor from completely killing this small Planet." One of the other elders replied. "It is what one of us would have had to do if we were alive, but you were the last of us able."

She looked up at Kituna. "So the Planet was saved from destruction? It wasn't on a course of being wiped out when you came back to this point in time?"

She nodded.

"So why come back? Why risk it?"

"As a Cetra, you know our main instinct is to heal and protect. The lives that were lost, even those who caused the hurt of the Planet and even the one who killed you, didn't have to die. They were just pawns in a foolish man's chess game that he didn't care about. That wasn't right and if certain events were changed and the outcome differed or avoided all together, then everything should have been alright." Kituna explained.

Shiroi came up beside Yochi. "But Kit has told me that the President of ShinRa has been murdered. We don't know by whom or if more are on the list. This can create a whole different chain of events and catastrophes."

Yochi nodded. "We'll have to pay close attention to the Planet's inhabitants then, maybe we can find the cause." He looked down at his daughter. "And you must be careful. The future must be protected, if something goes wrong now, it will be worse than the future we sent you from. Certain precautions won't be made in time and the people who were able to defend before won't be able to make the grade no matter how strong their will is." He warned.

Kituna's face grew grim as she nodded. She had to tell Rufus when she returned to her body, this was important. "I have to go back. Be well Mother, Father, elders." She bowed at her waist and took a deep breath. When she rose her head she was back in her pew with a tranced out Aerith just starting to jolt awake.

Kituna rose to her feet and went over to the girl just as she was opening her dark emerald eyes. "You should go home now. But I will see you again, you have been as much a part of this as I and Rufus have been the past week."

She nodded and stood. The two of them went to the doors together and pushed them open to see Rufus leaning against the stone wall.

"Rufus, we're back." She grinned as he flinched away from the wall, eyes popping open. "Did I startle you? Hehe!"

"So, does she understand it all now, or will she scream and run away from me?"

"I understand." Aerith said with her eyes already on the rubbage in front of them, calculating the safest path home.

"Go on home then, Rufus and I need to talk." Kituna said kindly.

Aerith nodded and jogged down the steps and through the crowd of the poor of Midgar. Kituna watched until her white and blue sundress vanished in the crowd of dingy colored people and turned to the President.

"We have to protect the future at all costs. The murder of your father, it might not be the only one. We have to assume that it wasn't just someone who hated his guts or even hated ShinRa altogether. They must have a list."

Rufus nodded.

"My father told me that if we mess up now, certain precautions won't be made in time and the ones who defended before: Zack, Cloud, Tifa, Barret, any of the resistance; won't be able to make the grade, they won't be ready for the catastrophe that could happen. Who knows how many people of influence I killed back in Banora, or what the new cadets would have learned if I hadn't been in charge of them in that simulation. We have to be more careful now, meticulous in our actions and always telling the other what we've done and what we're about to do." She continued.

He nodded again. "I was just about to ask you about those things actually. I was waiting for you two to be done."

She smiled. "Well then, it worked out perfectly, didn't it?"

Scratching sounded down the cluttered road, drawing both blondes' attention.

They looked over at the junk lined road to find none other than the Mighty General Sephiroth on his sun yellow chocobo, prancing down towards the church.

The silver-haired SOLDIER smiled at Kituna as he dismounted the large bird. "Why hello, whatever are you doing here?" he forced a grin up at Rufus. "And you, the new President, I hardly expected to find you in Sector 7 of all places. More likely your office."

Rufus smiled and shook his head. "I'm not going to be the fat and lazy office man my father was, General. I was just enjoying a nice day under the Plate with my friend. I assume you know each other already."

"You could say that." Sephiroth mumbled.

Kituna groaned. Another incident like in the building, great. "Listen, guys, I should be heading to my apartment. I'm kinda tired."

Sephiroth nodded. "Of course you must be! Having to listen to him on your way down here must have been dreadful. Let me give you a ride back on my chocobo." He patted the fat bird which emitted a plaintive squawk.

"No thank you, I'd much rather walk." She hurried down the steps and over to the large metal doors leading to the Market.

She heard the clip of Rufus' boots and the gentle scratch of the oversized chicken and sighed to herself. What was she getting herself into? She was supposed to have a simple mission of preventing the First Class elite from killing each other and those around them. Yet, here she was being mentally fought over by not only two but three guys. Of course, any other woman would kill to be in her position right now. Not only did two of the most wanted SOLDIER First Class compete for her attention, the young bachelor President of ShinRa had actually made a move on her! And she had let him, had liked it, had encouraged it. And after the death of his father no less. She was a horrible person. How was all that helping the Planet?

As she entered the ShinRa building, she saw the fangirls had returned. On second glance she noticed there were a lot more and some were wearing specific paraphernalia to their fan group. Angeal was currently trying to fight his way to the elevator through the screaming women and clutching, greedy hands of their starstruck owners.

She ran forward and grabbed his arm as he flailed out, losing his balance under the force of the fangirls. He jerked, thinking she was another crazed fan but smiled weakly when he saw her face and let her help pull him through.

She jabbed the elevator button and when the doors opened she shoved them both inside.

They sprawled against the wall and caught their breath as the doors closed. Kituna quickly pushed the lock button on the panel as the girls pressed against the sliding doors, afraid they would open the doors and crowd in.

Angeal finally caught his breath and laughed. "I guess we'll have to start finding a way to get in and out of the building so we don't get carried away, huh?"

She grinned and sat on the floor, tired as hell. Then she remembered the back door to the building. It was in an alley and rather deserted mostly. "You know, there is the back door. It's in an alley and opens to the old facilities that are rarely used anymore. You and the others can use that instead of the public lobby."

Angeal glanced down at her and smiled. "Hey, thanks. I think I'll check it out."

He pushed the button for the elite suites and they rode the elevator up in silence. Kituna finally stood up and leaned against the wall, thinking of her ultra-soft bed back in her room. But she'd have to wait for Angeal to get off and into his room before she could slip into hers.

There was a beep from her pocket and she jerked from the wall, scrambling for her PHS to see it was Rufus calling her. She flipped the device open and answered.

"Hello."

"Where are you? I saw you go into that mob and then you were gone." He said, the squeals of the lobby filled fangirls in the background.

"I saved Angeal, we're in the elevator now. Hey, is Seph still with you?" she asked with slight worry. If they were that crazy over Angeal there must have been even crazier ones waiting for the Mighty General.

"He's fine, he went out around back I think." He answered quickly. "Anyway, with you as my personal guard now as A you don't have to stay so close to the others anymore. There is another room on the floor below mine. You can go there so it isn't awkward with waiting to get to your room now and if you like it you can have your things moved up."

She figured something like that would happen. "But won't it get confusing still with…" she stopped and glanced over at Angeal. He might not want to be eavesdropping but they were the only ones in the small elevator. "Um, well you know." She said instead, hoping he would catch on.

Luckily, he did. "Oh, well there are two living spaces on the floor so you can divide them between you and A I suppose. All the upper suites get most of the floor to themselves. The code to get into the rooms are 0837 and 0847. The card keys are inside on the front table."

"Okay, thanks." She closed the phone and repeated the codes in her head so she wouldn't forget.

Angeal raised an eyebrow. "Who was that?"

"Rufus, he offered me a room by my brothers new room so we can stay closer together." She said carefully. Yeah, that worked.

"Cool. I saw he was returned to his former job on the alerts, you guys must be happy about that."

She nodded. "We are. It's what he likes best, to be fairly alone. Groups aren't usually his thing."

"Yeah, we just had the new recruits under his command with the former President's term divided among the three of us. But he's still going to be working with them right?"

Kituna paused. She wasn't supposed to be working in the Army, that was why she was a private personal guard. But Angeal didn't know that. They all saw A as an exceptional SOLDIER for use in the front lines. That wasn't her main goal though, their lives would be saved by other means than her leading them properly.

"I'm not sure. He didn't say." She answered simply.

Angeal nodded. "I hope he does. We need him out there."

"He does his job well, and if he does it well enough, he is helping you out there."

He turned to her with a smirk. "Really? Being the President's personal guard helps us out there? I don't think you understand how it works around here and maybe he doesn't either. He did only perform for a couple days in actual action. I'm not saying his job is useless, but the Turks even do more than what his job sounds like. They're like the Secret Service and he gets stuck as a bodyguard while we are sent out in the heat of battle not knowing if we'll get luckier than our opponents. He gets to stand behind a man all day in an office behind his desk."

Kituna's mouth opened to retort, but nothing came out. What could she say to that? That was how they all must have received the alert. That she as A was getting an easy job instead of doing what they needed her to.

"No offense. I mean, I like you and your brother is an amazing fighter and leader, but that's just how I see it. He could be a lot more useful out there with us is all I'm saying."

"You don't know his responsibilities, you don't know where his talents are best put to use." She whispered.

"Do I? He's a personal guard as in he guards a person. That's a role for a Turk or Infantryman, not a SOLDIER First Class."

The door opened and Angeal stepped out into the hall. Kituna frowned and almost called him back, almost came clean. But now wasn't the time to be going weak. She had to be strong and not reveal herself until the time was right. They'd understand then.

"You'll understand some day, Angeal. I promise." She said lowly.

He turned and shrugged. "Maybe I'll change my mind about it or maybe not. Just don't let it come across as me judging him, okay? I don't want to ruin a friendship over a job position."

She nodded before the doors slid shut and pushed the button below the one of Rufus' room.

She rode the elevator up in silence, thinking about how the others must view her as A now. Sephiroth knew enough to know it was important she be used for what her original purpose was but even he didn't know the whole story as to the exact why of it all. Now she'd have to add more lies to the pile, making it harder to keep track. Where was she and A supposed to be from again? She remembered the Saphrine Sea but not the city.

"Oh crap… I'm in way over my head now. Father help me." she groaned as she leaned against the elevator wall.

The doors slid open with a low hiss and she stepped out into a small square space with two doors opposite each other. One had Room 1110 and the other had Room 1111 on the labels beside the door over the keypads.

She walked up to Room 1110 and entered the first code. "0837.." she whispered to herself as the numbers lit up under her fingertips. The door slid open silently and she stepped in to see it was all a deep wine red with black accents in the embroidered drapes, wood frames and kitchen appliances.

"Kituna's room." She decided with a nod of her head. "I wonder if Rufus had it specifically decorated this way…"

She snatched up the card key and slid it in the interior keypad, changing the code to 7777 before exiting and locking the door behind her with a swipe of the card. Maybe she should pick a harder code to figure out but at the moment she was tired from crossing over from the Ancients and simple was what she needed. She entered the other code into the opposite room's keypad and smiled at the all black and silver accents of the room.

"This is more A's style." She laughed. Rufus must have definitely decorated them himself.

The card key was swiped through the keypad and the code changed to the 7777 then the door was opened, shut and locked.

Kituna was just turning from Room 1111 when she picked up on something with her senses. She got the feeling she wasn't alone but was too tired to think anything of it. After all, the space was small and no one was there. Duh.

Shaking her head to clear it, blaming fatigue, she re-entered Room 1110 and dumped both card keys in her materia pouch with her original one. The bed looked even bigger and softer than the one in the elite suites and she didn't waste time in stripping of her boots, belt, jeans and sweater as she crossed the room to open door of the bedroom. She flopped down on the soft comforter and wiggled under it and between the silky sheets. Burrowing her face in the clean smelling downy pillows, she sighed as her exhaustion claimed her body and dragged her into a calm and dreamless sleep.

080

Cat-like eyes watched the blonde as she wiggled between the black sheets and wine red comforter on the large bed. His pupils thinned when she had stripped on her way in, not even noticing his life force even though it was obviously there, disturbing the energies around them. She must have really been tired. Too tired to think of a more complicated password at any rate. She really needed to think of something better than her usual 7777.

Sephiroth walked up to the bed, his boots silent on the dark red carpet as he approached her now deeply sleeping figure. He sat on the end of the bed and watched her, content with just sitting close to her even though he was well aware she was in next to nothing under those covers. His eyes briefly took in her jeans and sweater near his feet and he calmly picked them up, feeling her lingering warmth through his gloves and smiling. He folded them and set them on the black wood bedside table. He then noticed her belt with her pulsing materia still in their pouch where she had dropped them.

He rose and went to pick the belt up, setting the heavy pouch in his broad palm. The icy blaze licked through his blood just like when he had kicked the ice from her Glaice in Banora, a recognition and bond that was shared between them. He didn't know what it was or why it was there but it was and he couldn't ignore it. There was something she wasn't telling him, she had told him that much, but she wouldn't tell him what it was. Why? What was so dangerous about him knowing?

His eyes narrowed with contempt. Rufus knew.

He returned to the bed and lightly brushed dark gold bangs from the sleeping Cetra's brow, causing her to burrow further into her red pillowcased pillow. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers and held himself like that for a few heart beats, wanting the moment to last forever.

It couldn't.

He pulled away slowly and smiled down at her as she smiled slightly in her sleep. He didn't know what had happened between her and the President but he knew one thing for certain. She was his and he would make that clear to everyone, Genesis, Angeal, Rufus…even herself.

080

Rufus scowled from his high backed chair in the President's office as he looked down at the list of the dead. Sephiroth had been busy. Then again, it had been made a little easier on him with the meeting of high executives, something Lazard, Hojo and Hollander had been called away from before the silver haired swordsman had made his surprising appearance. They were still a little important in his scheme of things for them to be wasted now. The scientists at least. Lazard was his half-brother and was therefore saved. Lucky him.

Sephiroth hadn't reported back to him after the fact though. That was what troubled the blond. Where was he?

His PHS bleeped with an incoming call that snapped him to attention. It was Sephiroth. He flipped it open and waited for the swordsman to respond.

"Hello, Mr. President."

"Hello, Sephiroth. Why has it taken you this long to report back? Where are you?"

There was a dry chuckle. "I'm with what's mine."

_**Sorry it took soo long to update, I had writer's block in the middle of writing and was only just now struck with how things will happen. That and the fact I have to share my computer with my family -_- I haven't been paying much attention to this fic but now I'm in a Sephy mood ^^ Please review!**_


	15. You Belong to Me

**Chapter Fifteen: You Belong to Me**

Rufus' eyes widened as he slowly rose from the high backed leather chair behind the large desk in his office.

"And what is that exactly which is yours, Sephiroth?"

There was a long silence on the other end before a dry chuckle came across the line. "Now Mr. President, you must know the answer to that. You aren't completely stupid, are you?"

Rufus took a deep calming breath and calmly opened and closed the door of the office leading to the short hallway and made his way to the elevator at the end of the hall. He did know the answer to that. "I would hardly classify her as yours, Sephiroth. She is my private personal guard after all so if anything, she's mine."

"And why is that?" was the short reply.

Rufus cocked an eyebrow as he stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor below his. "Why is what?"

Sephiroth's voice was deadly calm and quiet, losing all traces of humor from before. "Why is she your personal guard? Why is she even A? Tell me Mr. President, please explain this to me."

The elevator slowly made its way down the many levels. "You were never supposed to know. Try to keep it that way. Go back to acting like you never saw her face."

He laughed lightly. "Why won't anyone explain this to me?"

"You wouldn't understand…"Rufus said carefully, trying to reason with the swordsman lest he become crazed. He didn't want the meltdown to happen like what had happened with Jenova's introduction to the young man's life.

"No," he growled, "you don't understand. She and I, we have a bond. I felt it in her materia…A part of her is calling me and I don't know why. But I'm going to find out. One way or another until I get my questions answered.

The elevator dinged as it came to a stop on the floor where Kituna's and A's apartments were housed.

Rufus gulped as it became apparent he had forgot about the noise that could alert his position with the 1st Class' enhanced hearing. He waited to see if he would in fact hear the ding when Sephiroth's laughed lightly through the phone. "I wouldn't get off here just yet Mr. President, you see, she's sleeping and I wouldn't want you to wake her."

The line went dead and Rufus glared out at the small space where the two suites faced each other. He didn't even know which one she was staying in. He closed the phone and glared down at it as the doors slid closed with a satisfied hiss.

His hands fisted in his short cut hair and he threatened to pull it out from the roots. He released himself and punched the metal wall instead, not caring when his hand throbbed in pain from the impact.

080

Sephiroth smirked at the phone in his hand, the screen flashing 'CALL ENDED'. His mako mint green eyes rested on the still sleeping form of his little treasure. He was afraid she would have started to wake up from the noise he had been making, but thankfully she had remained asleep. He wonder what had made her so tired.

And the fact she had gotten a new apartment.

He had to admit it made her switching between personalities a hell of a lot easier but he wouldn't have known if he hadn't overheard her conversation with Rufus on his way out the lobby as he made his way towards the rear entrances in the back alley of the company building.

He reached out with a gloved hand and ran a long finger across the line of her cheek bone before dipping down to her jaw to her chin to her neck where the covers rested. His eyes lit up with desire. He wanted to feel her skin on his, to feel her blood pumping against his own racing pulse, he wanted to feel the electricity of that bond they shared with her materia. He wanted her.

In a quick jerk he pulled free his hand of his glove and gently laid his hand on her face, gliding down to cup her jaw. He leaned down toward her face and caught a whiff of her scent, not the shampoo she used or the body wash, but _her_. Sweet rose, fresh from the night's rain, filled his nose, his entire senses. All he saw was her gold and violet swirling about his vision, all he could taste was the thought of her lips and all he could feel was her warm body against his as they lay in the cave behind the waterfall in Banora. He wanted to feel like that again, happy and at ease. With her.

He didn't want to be angry with her. She just made it difficult sometimes. She was the one being stubborn, not him. He just wanted answers to questions she continued to dodge.

Her eye lashes fluttered as she dreamed and he lost control, giving in to temptation and kissing her rosy pink lips. He held himself there and sighed happily at the feel of her warmth there welcoming him to be there, where he belonged.

080

Kituna hadn't been dreaming, that was until she felt a light warmth on her brow that traveled down her face to her neck. She didn't know what it was but the touch had sent tingles throughout her body.

She smiled and relaxed further until she felt the warmth return to her cheek, only hotter this time. It brought a feeling of danger this time, like something was wrong.

What was touching her in such a way to send such feelings and warnings through her body?

She was about to open her eyes when she found herself in a rock cavern with the sound of water rushing in her ears. She turned to see she was now standing in the cave behind the waterfall in Banora with her back to the wall of white water.

She walked up to the edge, reaching out to touch the water when she felt another presence, a dark presence. She turned to see Sephiroth standing close behind her.

"Seph...what are we doing here?" she asked, about to turn back to the waterfall when he gripped her shoulders, sending the warm tingles as well as the foreboding feelings through her veins once again. "It was you…"

She was cut off by his lips on hers and her eyes widened in shock.

Was she dreaming? Why was she dreaming about this? Why was she _thinking_ about this?

But she didn't stop him, just like she hadn't stopped Rufus. She didn't know it was really happening and gave in to her body, she gave in to her heart.

She kissed him back.

080

When her lips slowly moved across his he smiled with satisfaction to himself. She wanted this too then, she was utterly his. He reveled in the touch of her and felt his ungloved hand travel down to her bare shoulder, gliding over the strap of her bra and continuing down to her waist.

When she didn't pull back but continued to kiss him slowly he traveled back up to her drag his fingers across her ribs until he felt the lacey fabric of her bra and he hungrily grabbed hold of her, causing her to arch in surprise.

He grinned to himself. She must feel the sparks he felt and couldn't explain. This was attraction, they were meant for each other.

He rubbed his palm against her soft flesh and groaned as she moaned.

Then she opened her eyes.

They were foggy from sleep but she quickly cleared them at the sight of the silver haired swordsman looming over her and kissing her. She pulled back and grabbed his hand, pushing it back at him and shoving him to the floor in the process. Sephiroth's eyes widened in surprise and he could only stare up at her, still in the heat of their shared moment. Why had she shoved him away? She had returned the affectionate actions and everything in her body was ringing with 'claim me' that it was all he could think about.

"Kit.." he rasped, voice hoarse with want.

She only gaped at him, her hands clutching the covers up to her neck and her cheeks red. "What are you doing in here? Why were you… you know!"

He cocked his head as he carefully pushed himself to his feet. "I don't understand. Why did you stop?"

"What do you mean why did I stop? Why did you start to begin with? And in my sleep no less, I should have done more than shove you off my bed. I should report you to the President! How did you get in?" she snapped, her eyes flashing with violet anger.

Sephiroth blinked as he looked for the answers to his questions in the plush red carpet. It didn't help being the color of lust. It only hardened his body more. He closed his eyes and rubbed his brow with his gloved hand. "You returned the affections though, you kissed me back."

"I thought it was a dream Sephiroth, I wouldn't have done it if I knew it was really happening. Now stop dodging my questions. Why did you kiss me when I'm almost nude in my sleep? And how did you even get in! Answer me, Sephiroth!" she demanded, pounding a fist down on the mattress.

Sephiroth opened his eyes and took a step closer to her, reaching out his hand for hers. "I only came to check on you. Your password was the same and when you came in you were so tired you didn't notice me so I just watched you sleep for a while." He smiled at the image of her curling up and falling asleep. "You were the most beautiful I have seen you, Kituna. I just couldn't hold back anymore. Not with Rufus all over you."

Her eyes narrowed. "You had no right! What is with men and barging in my room? I need privacy. Besides, you shouldn't worry about Rufus, what we do is none of your business."

He frowned, stepping closer with his outstretched hand. "What is it you two do exactly? Why are you here Kituna, please tell me the truth, not some save the world in secrecy shit."

Kituna flinched away from his touch as his gloveless fingers brushed her cheek. "You shouldn't know any more than you have to Sephiroth so leave the subject be. We are only doing what it takes to save as many lives as possible. Please just let us do that in peace." She scooted away and looked up with sad eyes as the swordsman froze, a look of utter dejection on his face, his face pulled down in an open frown as if he wanted to cry out and his eyes wide and glassy. Was he going to cry? That wasn't like Sephiroth. But maybe this was the time to get him to stop coming around and bothering her about her secret mission. "Seph, you were never supposed to even know me. That is how our relationship should be."

She had almost choked on the words but she kept her face stoic and her stare unwavering. The result was Sephiroth's eyes glistening as a single tear ran down each of his cheeks. It wrenched her heart to see him so low, he had never shown such emotions in the previous timeline of events, not even before he knew about his mother. He must really be feeling strongly attracted to her in more than just lust for each other's bodies. But he was still a liability, his body still unstable from his upbringing and parentage and conception. She shouldn't have gotten so attached to him as it was, she had now put them all at risk of failure.

"Seph… I didn't want to hurt you but you should go back to your normal life before you met me. It is crucial that you do, for the good of everyone." She urged gently, allowing her eyes to soften.

He lowered his arms and retrieved his glove, putting it back on slowly, the tears gone as if they had never happened. As he raised his eyes to hers once more the only trace of the SOLDIER from a few seconds ago were the two wet tracks down his cheeks. His eyes were steeled, his jaw set in his usual way of indifference, his body relaxed and a deadly vibe emanating from his every being. Kituna felt a wave of fear pass over her.

His voice was cold. "You may deny your feelings, but I know you still have them, that you feel them now as I do. I only regret you push me away and continue to keep me in the dark. You can trust me, Kit, but I will act as I have before our meeting. Only you should know that that Sephiroth was indifferent to whether one life was spared or taken if they were innocent or not. He did everything to win and obtain what he saw as his or was his set goal." He grinned but it was far from warm. "You should warn Rufus of this, as he obviously seeks your company." The grin softened slightly. "Because I see you as mine, my darling, and will continue to as it is what you are. You belong to me, whether you admit it and accept it or not."

Kituna shivered behind her curtain of covers as he slowly turned towards the door and walked out, his boots thudding softly on the thick carpet and ringing out on the high polished tile in the outer chamber. She watched the door slide shut and then the ding of the elevator opening and hissing closed.

What had she done? She had meant to stop him in his pursuits as she had with Genesis and his Loveless addiction but she had failed. He wasn't the Sephiroth she had met and laughed with and befriended, he was the ruthless killer seeking revenge. She should really think what she said and did through before she said or did them.

Tears of fright trickled down her cheeks to her chin to drip onto her knuckles, white from clenching the blankets to her chest. She had to warn Rufus. _And_ change her passwords.

She scowled at her lack of privacy and angrily rubbed her tears away, upset she was even scared. She was stronger than any of them. She felt her mother's nature in her flare up at the opportunity of a fearsome fight and she almost felt eager for this change in events. But then her father's caring nature combated her mother's, having her realize she could stop them by force but what if that came down to killing them? She didn't want to hurt any of them, none the less _kill_ them!

She also knew that if it came down to it she would have to choose the greater good over them individually. She would have to take extra precautions and try to repair the damage she had already caused since she was only granted this one chance. She wasn't going to fail, at least not completely.

It still pained her that this was happening the way it was. She hadn't even met Zack Fair yet or the scientists responsible for their sons' messed up conception. But failure was not an option.


	16. Checkup

**Chapter Sixteen: Check-up**

_**I know late updates aren't new to my fics but sorry for the wait. I had this chapter fairly complete the night I had it all play out but failed to save the file when my brother wanted to get on real quick and he deleted all my open files and windows, including the better version of this -_- I tried to recreate it here, hope it was worth the wait. Please enjoy and please leave a review! Ty!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Final Fantasy 7 only my OCs**_

_RING!RING! RING!RING!_

Kituna was startled back awake by the blaring ring of her phone receiving an e-mail. She grumbled under her breath and groped from her huddled spot under the covers for the PHS, almost knocking her bag of materia and keycards to the floor in the process. Once the phone was in her hand she flipped it open and brought it under the covers to her face. The brightly lit screen was harsh to her still sleepy eyes and she squinted to adjust as she pressed the 'Enter' button to open the message.

_ You, A, are scheduled for an appointment in Lab 8B at 9:00 am today._

_ Science Department_

"Gee, wonder who that could be." She growled. No doubt it was Hojo her appointment was with given her exceptional abilities. She knew he was the one who worked on his son Sephiroth and that Hollander worked on his own son Angeal and Genesis as they were created by different means of the experiments with Jenova. Either way, she wasn't in the mood to deal with anybody today, but alas she had to.

She glanced at the clock in the top right corner and groaned, flopping back onto the mattress. It was already seven am, which meant she had less than two hours to get a shower and get ready for the appointment, both in appearance and mentally.

Kituna pushed herself out of the bed and forced her feet to take her to the bathroom where she was about to strip of the rest of her clothes so she could take a shower when she realized she didn't have a change of clothes. A's as well as her clothes were still in the elite SOLDIER suites since Rufus had just offered her the rooms she was in now. She went to pull on her skinny jeans and buckled on her belt with a scowl. She was not in the mood to run into any of the SOLDIER First Class elite right now after what they had been pulling the past week. As she tugged on her sweater and pulled her hair free she found herself falling back on the bed with misty eyes once more.

What was she going to do? Rufus and Sephiroth were being intolerable, and Sephiroth was being plain scary. How could he say that? That wasn't like the Sephiroth she knew of the past, the man of virtue and stature that all envied, even those opposed to ShinRa's work ethics. Now he was showing the side like after the mental breakdown at Jenova's reactor.

This couldn't be good at all.

Then there was how Genesis was… well, himself, with her as Kituna. She couldn't be mad at him though but it was just the state she was in that she didn't want to be around men in general.

She felt her phone's bulge in her pocket and pulled it out, staring at the top screen where the time flashed in the top right corner. She could call someone up with a change of clothes. But who would she call? Well, the only ones that knew her dual identities were Rufus and Sephiroth. Her brow furrowed as she tightened her grip on the small phone. She was definitely not calling Sephiroth after his episode and as far as she was concerned, Rufus was in the same boat.

She shoved the phone back in her pocket roughly and stomped towards the door, growling to herself about how selfish men were among other things. She punched the button for the elevator harder than she needed to and rode the elevator down to the SOLDIER suites, fishing in her small pouch for the old card key to her room. She was sliding it in the key pad when she heard the hiss of an opening door. Pausing at her door, Kituna slowly turned her head to see Genesis and Angeal exiting Genesis's room, their curious eyes trained on her.

"Um…hey guys, what's up?" she asked with a strained smile.

Genesis cocked his head. "We were just going to get some training in before our appointment with Professor Hollander. What are you doing here?"

Kituna glanced back at her open apartment door. "Well, I was just checking in with A and was coming to tell him that we have joint apartments up closer to Rufus' floor. I'm moving in today and thought he might as well too." She waved as she entered the room and headed straight to the closet with her A outfit and black clothes.

Genesis called after her before the door closed him off, "Well if they're joint apartments maybe we can all hang out sometime? You know if…" the door slid shut with a low hiss and Kituna welcomed the resulting silence with a sad smile.

It wasn't their fault she had run into them. She should have manned up and just called Rufus to get her clothes for the appointment or at least got him to change the appointment. Either way though, she needed a shower and to get dressed in clean clothes. She pulled her black and leather garments into her arms and stomped into the bathroom, slamming the door with her booted foot. The little aggressive actions helping calm her frustration a little.

The clothes were hung on the rack by the shower, a plush cream towel draped and ready for use, her favorite Banora apple scented body wash, shampoo, and conditioner set out and ready, and finally the water set to the perfect temperature to melt away her stress and worries. She stripped and stepped into the gentle spray, just standing there for a few minutes to let the water gently massage her back and shoulders with the soft bullets rhythmic pounding. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, sighing on the exhale. When she opened her eyes she automatically grabbed the shampoo and went about the lather rinse and repeat until she was relaxed by the soothing scent and clean. She wrung out her long hair after she switched off the water and grabbed the towel, rubbing her skin dry with gentle strokes, then she wrapped up her hair and pulled on her black pants and tunic. She buckled her weapons across her back and padded out of the tiled bathroom across the soft carpet to slide into her knee high boots, double checking that her two black bladed long knives were in their respected sheaths, and then fastened her mask on before pulling on her leather cloak. She was now A and ready for whatever Hojo had in store for her.

Kituna groaned as she fell back on the bed. She pulled out her PHS and checked the time. The appointment was in fifteen minutes. Who was she kidding? She loathed the sickly looking scientist as much as everyone else on the Planet! She could only imagine what this check-up was actually about.

She played with the thought of calling or e-mailing Rufus or Sephiroth for peer support before shoving the phone into the deep pocket of the cloak. Still not gonna happen.

She frowned and heaved herself to her feet. She might as well go ahead and head down to the Science Department and wait around Lab 8B. She might even get lucky and get the check-up or whatever done sooner than the allotted time. Then again, she was already pushing Lady Luck enough as it was with her mission. She rolled her shoulders and headed out her door, sliding the keycard to lock it before entering the elevator and pushing the button for the SD L6-L10, Science Department Lab 6 through Lab 10.

080

Sephiroth smirked across the table at the blond president who glared back at him with wary azure eyes.

"What did you do to her Sephiroth? Tell me." Rufus said under his voice, knowing the swordsman could hear him clearly.

Sephiroth laughed lightly and tilted his head, raising a silver eyebrow. "Do you really want all the details Mr. President?"

Rufus choked on the coffee he was sipping and scowled at the SOLDIER General. "You wouldn't, no, you couldn't have done that much. She wouldn't have let you."

"Correction, she didn't let you. Remember, she is mine Mr. President and therefore it is only natural we would allow each other to do such things to each other." he laughed at the blonde's expression of shock and denial. "Well, I suppose you will have to ask her about the details then. If you'll excuse me, I must shower before my appointment with Professor Hojo."

"Your father you mean." Rufus growled.

Sephiroth's face turned to stone. "He is no father of mine. While I may have been conceived by his seed I am a breed all my own, along with Kituna." Rufus' eyes widened slightly, the pupils dilating. How much did he know about himself? "She is a breed all her own as well and thus we are kindred spirits, joined by the ties of combat and fate. No hard feelings, Mr. President." He stood and strode away from the table in the ShinRa Building's cafeteria towards the elevator right outside the many double doors adjoining the large room with the broad hallways, leaving Rufus to his mug of coffee and troubled thoughts.

He stared down at the black-brown reflection of himself on the surface of the coffee and clenched his knuckles till they were white. _This is all my fault, I altered the future and now Sephiroth is slowly becoming the maniac that destroyed millions. Kituna doesn't know of course, but it's only a matter of time until she finds out. I've already kept the secret from her long enough, I should probably tell her as soon as I see her. Then I can put this whole her belonging to Sephiroth business to rest, too. There's no way she'll get with him knowing he's already on the brink of insanity, no way that she'd be intimate with his monster self. She wasn't like that, she wasn't attracted to that. That was why she was here in the first place, why _they _ were here, to prevent the three SOLDIERs from becoming that. She cares too much to jeopardize their and the Planet's inhabitants' futures. _He chugged the rest of the warm liquid an grimaced at the bitter flavor. He needed to go talk to her now.

The blond president rose to his feet and deposited the white porcelain mug at the counter where the washer accepted the dirty dish through the small window with a small smile and respectful nod. Rufus nodded back and hurried to another elevator than the one Sephiroth had used, pushing the button for the floor below his. He needed to sort all this out with Kituna as soon as possible, for his sake. For her sake, for all of their sakes. He only prayed he wasn't realizing this too late.

080

Kituna repositioned herself against the hard steel wall of Lab 8B, shifting her feet so that the other crossed the other's ankle and her arms switched positions in their crossed formation, letting the blood circulate normally for a while again. Her violet eyes scanned the sterilized room for the hundredth time, running over the neatly organized surgical and typical equipment line and ready for use need an emergency arise. The stainless steel medical equipment rested in their organized lines on matching tables along the walls next to a countertop with empty reports waiting to be filled next to a set of deep sinks. Two large tables were in the middle of the room and no doubt served as beds for operations and whatever else they did in here.

Injections.

Her eyes widened slightly at the realization of what else went on here. Men were injected with Mako to be made into human weapons. She ground her teeth as she put one and two together. She hadn't gotten injections as A before like every SOLDIER did. They were probably wondering how she had gotten injected with the Mako she already had in her system that granted her the strength she had already been forced to demonstrate. Granted, all her strength hadn't been from the Mako injections she had received in her slumber under the Project Anomaly but they didn't know her true potential and what they were creating with more injections. Hell, she didn't even know what would happen after a certain point. She was already way stronger than Sephiroth had ever been, what more was there? What more could one body handle? Everyone had their limits and she had already seen some of hers when calling on too much of her power. Everything came at a price, that was why she was here, to keep the Planet from paying the price ShinRa set with their meddling with the natural balance of things.

The door opened with a low hiss and Kituna looked up to see the image of her recent nightmares, Sephiroth. He looked around and saw her leaning against the wall to his right and smiled down at her.

"Hello, my darling." He said as he joined her by the wall.

Kituna rolled her eyes behind her mask. "Right now I'm no one's darling, least of all yours after everything you said. Why are you here? Did you follow me from my apartment?" she snapped with suspicion.

He laughed. "No, not at all. I am no stalker of what is already mine. It's not like anyone can take you from me and I'm not here because of you, you are just a welcome surprise. I'm here for my appointment with Hojo, I suppose you being here means he is the one to give you the regular physicals and injections every SOLDIER operative must complete to remain in the program. So I guess we'll be seeing even more of each other on a regular basis now." He ran his long fingers through his long hair to comb out the tangling damp strands, sending a cloud of orange blossom and spice to Kituna's nose.

She inhaled sharply and turned away, much to Sephiroth's amusement.

"What's the matter, my dear? Do you like the shampoo? It's my personal favorite." He purred as he leaned across her, nudging aside her wide hood and reaching up with a gloved hand for her mask. "Of course, I love yours more. So delicate with the vanilla with the sweet Banora white apple fragrance… it has haunted my dreams as well as my waking thoughts ever since that first night in Banora."

Kituna shrugged him away, stumbling from her leaning position against the wall. He was confusing her, acting like a love-struck puppy instead of a psycho killer. Why was he acting this way?

"Sephiroth, what do you want?" she snapped as she stood next to one of the tables, her gloved hand resting on its top.

Sephiroth leaned with his left shoulder against the wall and lazily looked over at her through the veil of his long silver bangs. "I want what is mine, you." he said simply with a small, possessive smile.

Kituna was sickened to her core. Of course, that was what Sephiroth did, he obsessed about what was rightfully his in his eyes. She may have succeeded so far in keeping him from obsessing about being the inheritor of the Planet through Jenova as a supposed Ancient but she had failed in any substitution. Her. In fact, she may have instigated it with her chummy feelings towards him in the beginning. Wouldn't it have been much easier if she had been cold and aloof to him from the start, to have said 'yes I'm a girl but you don't really need to worry about it, yes I'm powerful so don't get in my way and we'll be fine,' but she hadn't. She had craved the personal bond with him, and the others. This was all her fault.

"But I'm not yours Sephiroth."

He pushed himself from the wall and towards her, catching her arm before she turned away and out of reach. He pulled her to him and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Oh, but you are. We are so alike, you and I. We are a breed all our own, the strongest of them all. None can stand against us."

_Did he know about their similar parentage? Did he know that they were both born from a Calamity?_

"What do you mean?" she whispered against his bare chest, placing her hands against him to give them space apart.

He pulled back her hood and stroked her dark gold hair. "We are different, it's in our blood, it gives us power beyond compare. Therefore, we belong together. We can do whatever we want or desire." He unfastened her mask and slowly removed it, bringing his forehead down to rest against hers.

Kituna's breath caught in her throat and she closed her eyes to not see his peering that way that was almost like love into hers. He didn't feel love towards her, no, it was not love. It was possession over a similarity, power. That was all they shared now, power. That and having the genes of the Calamity.

"And what do you want to do, what do you desire to do with your precious strength Sephiroth? You must have a grand goal or purpose that drives you." It was how he worked in this mental state after all, he was a model soldier before the Nebilheim Incident and only after he found out the horrible truth did he become an obsessive killing machine.

She felt one of his gloved hands wipe her bangs aside before sliding down to cup her cheek.

"Right now, what I desire is you." he whispered, drawing closer to her face that she could taste his breath on the air she breathed and feel his straight nose rub against hers.

So he hadn't thought out a whole destroy the world plan yet so he didn't know the full truth of what they had in common. He still didn't know about Jenova. Which meant that the other two were safe from that knowledge as well. Unless Hollander wasn't late for his appointments and decided to pass the time he would explain all the reasons he wasn't going to get the Best Father of the Year award. Kituna opened her eyes and pushed against the tall silver-haired swordsman as he leaned closer in what would have been full facial contact and stared up into his half lidded eyes. His face looked so innocent, just as it had that day in Banora when he had asked her about her parents' materia in the Dumbapple orchard at the Rhaspsodos house. He really believed that they belong with each other, to each other. And beliefs tended to be strong power for mankind, giving them strength to do otherwise impossible things, as long as they truly believed in them. Sephiroth sure seemed to.

"Seph, I have to put the mask back on. I'm A right now, for my appointment with Hojo, remember? That's what we're here for, not this." She held up her hands, indicating their current situation.

Sephiroth frowned but stepped away and went to sit on the other metal table, choosing to lean against it and cross his arms across his chest, his face completely hidden behind his silver bangs except for his straight nose and sharp chin.

Kituna hopped up on the table and crossed her ankles as she refastened her mask and returned her hood to the top of her head. She stole a glance in his direction and was relieved when Sephiroth continued to stare straight at the door to the lab and not at her. She hated to see him this way but she had to sort things out before she made any crucial moves, the outcome was way too important to just stumble upon with random misleading phrases and actions. Besides, her top priority now was to get through an appointment with a ShinRa scientist, Hojo. She would have figured him to be one of the ones assassinated like his colleagues that were high on the food chain of the company, but oddly he and Hollander were left alone along with the Director, Lazard. Why were those three left alone? Shouldn't they have been at that meeting the other day? Wait, hadn't they been called to other business at the time the meeting would have taken place? Why, why then? And why _them_? Rufus would know. She'd have to ask him after the appointment. She preferred his company over Sephiroth's right now anyways.

Hojo stepped into the room busy scribbling notes down on his clipboard that seemed to always be on his person. He looked up and his shrewish eyes scrutinized Kituna as A from behind his glasses. He adjusted them and peered closer at her, making another note on the clipboard before turning to Sephiroth who had unfolded his arms and was now standing above the frail scientist.

"Ah, my boy, how have the missions been since your last injection?" Hojo asked as he went to prepare a syringe needle with a thick aqua blue liquid inside.

"They have been no challenge for some time now." Was Sephiroth's curt reply.

Kituna watched with curious eyes as she got to experience the injections first hand. She would be next and she would finally be conscious for one for a change, then she'd be able to better understand the sudden changes in some of the flickering life-forces that had been above her in these very labs getting injected with the lifestream's energies. The pain, the senses evolving little by little, the physical body becoming capable of more strength and the mind opening to a broader horizon of knowledge and technique capability. Then she herself could truly connect with the previous and past-future victims. Hojo brought the full syringe over to Sephiroth who shed his coat and offered his muscular arm. Kituna couldn't help but notice the muscles rippling beneath his tanned skin but quickly returned her attention to the syringe at the juncture of the forearm and bicep. She watched with wide eyes as the liquid Mako was purged into Sephiroth's vein and her eyes shot up to his face to see his reaction, nothing. He was immune to any reaction now, he had had enough injections in the past along with the Jenova injection before he was born that there was no longer a noticeable change or reaction whatsoever. She felt scared. What would her reaction be? How many had Sephiroth had compared to how many she had had in her slumber again? She hadn't bothered to keep count at the time.

Hojo smiled proudly as he threw away the used syringe and checked on his clipboard that the spot of injection had already closed and everything was normal for the great swordsman as had become usual. He then turned to Kituna as A and held up another prepared syringe of the same liquid.

"Now, Sephiroth you may leave, it is your turn A." he smiled, the harsh light reflecting on his glasses.

Kituna slowly slid down from the table as the door hissed closed behind Sephiroth. She was slightly wishing she had called Rufus now or that Sephiroth could have at least stayed. She didn't trust the old scientist, not with what she knew of him from her reports and what she had observed in her hibernation.

"Take off the coat, I promise you can put it right back on if you heal as fast as my boy does." He smirked.

Kituna frowned and held up a finger. "On one condition, since you will find out my identity in the next few moments I want you to keep it a secret that you repeat to no one, not even those who know it. It is very important if you plan on living longer than today."

"Ah, not my first death threat, but I don't see the point in saying no. I'll amuse you and accept, now take off the cloak so I can give you your injection, then you can explain why your previous injections that have given you your current advanced strength haven't been recorded in our files."

She nodded and slowly unzipped the cloak, letting it fall open before she shrugged it off completely and went to unfasten her mask. She shook out her waist length hair and glanced over at the gaping scientist.

"Surprised?" she said in an emotionless voice.

Hojo's gaping mouth twisted into a smile as he cackled. "A girl! And not just any girl, but the one from Floor B90 no less. You're the Anomaly."

Kituna narrowed her eyes. "You know about me then?"

"Why, of course, when I first joined the Science Department here I had already known about you from accompanying my father when he would be the one to complete your injections and tests. You were my first project I worked on, Project A. Even after the project was abandoned, I went to make sure you were treated and taken care of. I would even visit and make sure the scientist on duty included your cell in his rounds. I couldn't abandon you because you weren't a failure, just a little hard in waking up. Although, you always showed signs of consciousness, especially on the date of a catastrophe or major incident. I just never thought I'd been treating you as a SOLDIER First Class." He explained, breaking into another fit of disbelieving laughter.

"What was Project A all about? Why were you and the other scientists before you injecting me with Mako? What was the purpose of it all?" Kituna snarled, clenching her gloved fists so tight that the soft leather squeaked against her knuckles.

Hojo grinned up at her from his now hunched position. "You were what we wanted Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal to be, a super warrior. You already had the genetics built in but you just wouldn't wake up from whatever put you to sleep in our ancestor's time. I must say though, Genesis and Angeal are complete failures. They were given the genes through their mother but Sephiroth was given them directly. Even so, it is hardly comparable to receiving them first hand from one's parents legitimately. I must ask you, are you related to Jenova? Your cells are somewhat similar to hers, but the girl Aerith has similarities to your cells as well. Why is that?"

Kituna frowned. She wasn't going to answer him anything, but he was able to put one and two together.

"You must have been born of a being like Jenova's kind, but also of a true full blooded Cetra! That is the only explanation!"

"It said all that in my file. If you were running the project you would have known that. It had profiled me and my two parents before the sealing of Jenova by the Ancients and the Humans. So why are you just finding that out now?"

More laughter. "I never got to look at your file, it was on a strict access basis that only a handful could breach. But now that you're awake, I'll be able to run some real tests on you and all your capabilities." He pushed the syringe in her shoulder and smiled as she gasped and pulled away. The syringe had been emptied into her system. He then took out a smaller needle from his white coat pocket and shoved it in her neck. "You might feel a burning sensation, but with your strong Ancient blood and all that Mako in your system, you should wake up in a little while. You'll be a whole new you when you do."

Kituna slumped into the table, closing her eyes as the lights became too bright, their white glare defusing anything else from her vision. Her senses were too sensitive, Hojo's voice was a roar in her ears and the metal table was ice to her skin. She felt herself being lifted in the air and then set on something extremely soft like a cloud.

_**Okay that's it for now although I'm going to try to have the next one up sooner, it's going to have the content I've been waiting to write since I started this fic. Thanks for all the reviewers and new readers, I love you guys! ^^ Please leave a review and thanks for reading!**_


	17. Awakening

**Chapter Seventeen: Awakening**

_**Sorry for the long wait, etc. You all must be tired of hearing that but the reasons are the same, I just don't get a say over who is on my computer for the time being as Wizard 101 has fueled my brother to hate its dealings with him and his 'bad luck' while at the same time dragging him back in to play every day and my other one is just as bad with his online Battlefront or whatever.**_

_**Anyway, ranting aside, this chapter isn't very long but you deserve something after the long waits I've made you endure.**_

_**Standard disclaimer: don't own anything but my OCs as well as their influences. Please review, I'd appreciate it dearly, and hope you enjoy!**_

Kituna awoke to find herself in a cell with transparent blue-green walls that emitted a very annoying buzzing sound to her sensitive ears. She screwed her eyes back shut as the blinding glare of the lights above her flared and she could hear a heartbeat as well as a ballpoint pen scratching on paper. She cracked one of her eyes open and looked around slowly as her sight adjusted to the brightness and she could finally make out Professor Hojo bent over his clipboard with an excited look on his thin face. If you didn't know any better you'd think he had just won the lottery. But she did know better but she supposed it was the lottery to him, he finally had his claws dug deep into a Cetra and unlike Ifalna and Aerith, she wasn't going to be able to just run away. She, unfortunately, had an obligation to this company to save itself and the Planet. Hojo's dark brown eyes looked up at her and his smile grew.

"You're awake I see, a little sooner than I was expecting but wonderful nonetheless." He chortled.

Kituna groaned. She did not want to be cooped up in a plasma cell with him chortling at her for any length of time.

"Can you just let me out of here? Please, I have places I need to be."

Hojo paused in his scribbles and shook with quiet laughter. "'Just let me out' she says, 'I have places I need to be' she says. Ha! You are all under my supervision in this department and I can do with you as I see fit, including experiment with your body and take you out of your current line of responsibilities. So in short, you are exactly where you need to be."

Kituna slowly opened both her eyes and blinked them into focus before swinging herself around on her narrow cell bed so that she faced the deranged scientist.

"Really? I don't think the President would agree." She snapped, for some reason she was getting really angry, angrier than she normally would have been. Then again, she was being held against her will after being knocked out by a creepy old man, even though technically she was older than he was but who's counting?

Hojo walked over to his counter and fiddled with metallic sounding things with his back to her, ignoring her statement. Anger was boiling over now.

Kituna stood up and marched up to the plasma wall and studied it for a moment, looking for a way out. There was no obvious door and it was quite different from other cells she had seen in the building, its walls made of a pure energy that could fry a Behemoth on the spot. Of course, she was stronger than a Behemoth and she really didn't want to just sit around waiting for Hojo to pick his torture device for whatever sick experiment he had in mind for her, she was not going to be his next Sephiroth. She paused, momentarily frightened. What if she couldn't get out and he did do something insane to her to make her break down? What would she do then? She was the Planet's last hope to prevent the fatal chaos that was its past future, besides Aerith of course, but what could she do now?

Hojo turned back toward her with the smile still plastered to his face. "I see you're an impatient one, that's good. You won't have to wait long, I'm just sterilizing my supplies for later dates, the serum I already injected in you was today's experiment."

Kituna's eyes widened. "What? Then why can't I leave? What was that serum? What did it do to me?" her eyes scanned her body, looking for any sign of an anomaly that wasn't supposed to be there but found nothing amiss.

Hojo cackled briefly and picked his clipboard back up, making a few more notes as he replied. "It was the remaining cells from Jenova along with some from other experiments. I was hoping it would enhance your natural abilities and turn your balance of them in a more favorable direction."

Kituna didn't need to ask which of her parent's hereditary gifts Hojo was calling a more favorable direction, it was obviously Shiroi's Calamity abilities of cold and brutal battle and destruction he had sought after when injecting unborn Sephiroth with Jenova's cells.

"Of course, with this new 'awakening' of your body so to speak, you will begin to realize things you never had before and understand the truth behind the falsities you have been fed over the span of your life. How old are you anyway?" Hojo went on.

Kituna glared at him and snarled, not choosing to answer that last question. "I understand the truth behind falsities I've been fed throughout my life? You mean like Sephiroth will if he ever visits Nebilheim? You honestly don't understand _why_ I woke up and am here. It's to fix your screw ups and try to salvage Midgar and the very Planet. ShinRa is the least of our problems now, something is going wrong and I need to be out of this cell to figure it out and fix that, too, or do you want to join your colleagues in death as well?"

Hojo simply took down notes and mumbled to himself, "Goes around direct questions….has developed heightened emotions….egocentric…" he looked up at her and just stared at her, tilting his head occasionally. Kituna had no idea what to say to all that, obviously he wasn't believing her one bit. Then again, what could she expect, he had been confident he wouldn't be harmed when Genesis was trying to get ahold of him in the past though he would never know about that now. He saw himself as vital to the company and well protected thereof. Right now though she really wanted to wring his neck. She started when he mumbled again, "Hasn't shown signs of the change yet…doubts are building that she is a failure."

Kituna clenched her fists at that last comment and was about to say something insulting when she noticed he was shaking but not with his usual insane cackles, it was fury. He threw his clipboard down on the metal examining table and slammed his fist with surprising force down next to it. Taken aback by the sudden outburst, the slim hybrid Cetra took a few steps back and studied his bent form carefully, watching to see if he would direct that unexpected anger at anything other than the small clipboard and metal table.

"No! She can't possibly be a failure! She is the perfect specimen, far better than the unborn child of that Lucrecia….Why am I not getting my expected results? What could have gone wrong? Was the serum neutralized by her Cetra blood? No, she shows signs of the Calamity's DNA within her, coexisting with the pure Cetra DNA. What could it be then?" he stormed around the room, looking for something of little importance to take out his newly found frustration on as dark purple eyes followed him every step of the way.

Kituna was getting worried he would notice her, the apparent 'failure' and decide that made her worthy of his aggression when she felt a sudden pain shock through her body. It was like liquid fire was scorching through her veins only ten times as painful. She wasn't aware she had become horizontal until she realized that she was seeing things sideways and then she realized her body was writhing of its own accord, her limbs scissoring slightly as all her muscles, even ones she never knew she had, spasmed and clenched violently. Something big was happening and she noticed that Hojo had regained possession of his treasured clipboard and was scratching madly at the sheet of paper with new vigor. She would bet a million gil that she wasn't classified as a failure anymore, whatever that meant she didn't know. She had no idea what was currently happening to her. Was this what the serum was supposed to do to her? Or was her body rejecting the infusion of the cells of her mother's cousin and her children through experiments? What was going to happen to her?

Hojo nodded his head as he took in the spasming body before him on the floor of the cell. "Yes…yes! That is exactly what I expected. Not a failure after all, just a delayed reaction… Your Cetra cells must be very strong to have resisted the takeover of the serum. I guess the heightened emotions triggered your mother's side and opened the flood gates! This is very promising indeed, I better turn up the cells energy flow so you don't blast out by any chance." He sang the last part as he bounced over to a little podium by the special cell and turned a dial. Kituna strained her eyes to stay on him but lost sight of him at the podium, but she could hear the dial being turned and the resulting increased buzz of the cells walls.

She didn't much time to think about that, however; her body jerked and went rigid as the burning intensified, bringing tears to her eyes that were turned into steam the moment they left her eyes, her skin was on fire. Something chemical was happening, she deducted, her body was burning unnaturally and her muscles were no longer in her control. She could only hope she survived the 'change' Hojo had mentioned with the same mindset to do her job and save the Planet, she didn't know what would happen if she turned into a monster worse than Jenova or the past future Sephiroth, or what the rest of the world would do for that matter.

Hojo was rocking on the balls of his feet now, almost to the point of jumping up and down in excitement over the agony she was going through. Kituna opened her mouth to scream when everything went black and she felt herself suspended in nothing. She tried to look around in confusion but discovered she had no body here and it was all the same black. Then a figure appeared before her, a blond who looked like her, only when she lifted up her sad face to look where Kituna could see her face, she saw she had pale green eyes that were slightly darker than Sephiroth's and not as dark as Aerith's emerald shade. The girl was hugging herself and looked on the verge of tears with only a slight white aura around her.

"It's so dark….it never got this dark before….what's happening?" she was mumbling as she looked up at Kituna for the answers. "The dark was never this strong….I can't hold it off for long…"

Kituna's heart went out to the frail girl that she knew was a part of her, her father's side, her Cetra side. "We can fight it back, we'll get it back in check. Don't worry, we'll be in control, not it."

The girl was slightly surprised that Kituna had spoken to her but quickly nodded her head as another figure approached. This one had the same piercing violet eyes that Kituna saw in the mirror every day but unlike the familiar dark gold of her Cetra side, this one had long platinum colored hair much like the color of Jenova's and Sephiroth's. Kituna knew without a doubt that this was her mother's side, the darkness that was great in the aid of battle but not for a full time personality.

The figure smiled at the cringing Cetra and looked up with a smile of satisfaction where Kituna was supposed to be. Her mouth opened and her voice was like ice, "Wakey wakey…."

_**Once again, sorry for the lateness. I'll just stop trying to promise that it'll be up faster from now on and see if the cosmos will grant me more access. Thanks for reading!**_


	18. Power

**Chapter Eighteen: Power**

_**Not much to this chapter action wise but a good portion of deranged scientists =P**_

Hojo scribbled away at his clipboard, barely able to contain his excitement. His theory had been correct, the hybrid was now more of the stronger Calamity Ancient than the Cetra Ancient, no longer was the balance of alien powers in check. She would be his greatest achievement, not to mention she would be able to answer what really happened those many years ago to her and both of her ancestral races. He would be remembered forever as the greatest ShinRa scientist in history, especially greater than Ghast who only stumbled upon the Ancient Calamity and mislabeled her. He cackled, he cackled so hard he had to pause in his notes in fear of screwing them up as he doubled over and gasped for breath.

His dark eyes went back to the now still form of the Anomaly, this Kituna, a very interesting name indeed. Her hair was different now, not entirely so though, her right half was the same dark gold while the left was the same brilliant platinum of his son's and Jenova's. Her eyes snapped open suddenly, causing Hojo to take a step back and then three steps forward, his curiosity overcoming his fear of her. Her eyes were also different, her left side held the dark violet that he knew Jenova had while her other eye was a pale glowing green that was darker than Sephiroth's mint. Interesting, it was like the two sides of her were fighting for dominance, no longer coexisting together. He noted this and looked back up as the specimen pushed herself up and clutched her head with one of her hands. She was apparently in pain through this transition of powers, Hojo wondered if the same pain would happen if her cells were transferred to another host. Would one of the SOLDIER have the same struggles of two new powers in his body? Would Jenova specimens have the same struggle? He would have to try it out on one of them to make sure, and he would have to acquire a new SOLDIER rookie for the other experiment. Yes, one that was young and strong and able bodied while still being clueless enough to accept it. He would go look at the Thirds after his time here, maybe even the newer Seconds. There had to be one or two that were promising.

Kituna growled as the darker side of her pushed harder on her conscious, forcing her eyes closed once more. The darkness behind her eyelids welcomed her with the platinum hair and cold violet glowing eyes and she tried to push back harder, to reign in the uncontrollable power, to no avail. At best, she could only keep it at bay for the time being. She peeled her eyes open and gritted her teeth, glaring daggers of hate at the deranged scientist before her on the other side of the plasma wall of her cell. If she could only get out of the cell she could really tear into his pathetic body.

Her thoughts fueling her body and mind with a purpose, Kituna shoved herself to her feet and shakily leaned against the metal bed and took a few breaths between her clenched teeth. She could do this, _she could do this. _Hojo placed his pen and clipboard aside and walked confidently back over to the cells buzzing walls with a dorky smirk on his face.

"What do you want?" she growled at him, still scraping her concentration so she could use her energy for busting the wall, hopefully.

He chuckled. "You aren't in any position to be asking questions but I do suppose it is a reasonable one that wouldn't hurt me answering."

"So do it." She replied flatly, looking along the plasma for any weak link in the energy distribution.

"Well, for starters, your cellular make-up is perfect for strengthening our current Army and SOLDIER operatives. Of course, I'll need some samples from you to test out on some monster specimens before I make my selection of the human supply. And of course you'll oblige to do so because I'll have the President on my side. He was always one to crave power even though he didn't physically have what he wanted more than anything."

She hated when he prattled on, and yes, he was prattling. Prattling like an old lady on her veranda sipping iced tea. She rolled her eyes and sat on the bed, not having found a weak spot in the plasma. Of course, she wasn't giving up, just being practical about the current situation she was in. "Please don't carry on like that, Rufus wouldn't go for that kind of experimentation anyway."

Hojo wrapped his arms around himself and laughed, "Really? You do know he wants to be a super fighter himself like you and my boy, he wants mako injections to heighten his abilities and become more powerful. Just like his father in that way I'd say."

Kituna growled again, very animalistic, she had never growled this much in her life. Her growl turned into a full out snarl which surprised even her, she had never snarled like that but now she couldn't stop.

Hojo jumped back and went for his clipboard, his wavering brown eyes behind his large spectacles not leaving her shaking form.

Kituna wished she could do the same thing. She didn't know what was happening, the Cetra didn't do this and neither did Jenova or Shiroi, so what was causing it? Then she felt the icy burn on her arm. Her eyes fell down to where the bright pearl glow was shining brilliantly through her black shirt. Sno.

As soon as the name crossed her mind, the concealed bracelet uncoiled from her arm, slithering down to her wrist and leaping in a starburst of light like an exploding diamond to form a perfectly white ferno with scorching garnet eyes. Sno growled low and whipped her tail around menacingly, her claws at the ready and her ears flattened against her large skull.

"A ferno! Amazing!"

Kituna's wide eyes turned back to the scientist. "You know about fernos?"

He nodded eagerly. "Of course, a very rare beast indeed, and no surprise you have befriended one of them. Remarkable creatures, abandon their 'master' when they are no longer worthy of their prescence. Not many of them find worthy companions of any species but some find ones for life. I'm just curious as to where you two met, would you mind telling me? For research reasons of course."

"For what, more experiments on unknowing SOLDIER operatives and Infantrymen? I don't think so, besides, you aren't really in a position to be making demands. You're in Sno's sights as a threat, and yeah, we're real tight no matter what the situation." Kituna snapped, nodding to Sno to assail the plasma and get at the scientist just outside the thin film of energy.

Sno happily obliged and leapt at the greenish wall, snarling in anger when she was forced to the ground of the cell with a faint sizzle. Her red eyes burned with ignited fury and snapped at the wall that had restricted her from reaching her prey. Kituna knelt beside her and stroked her furry neck to calm her somewhat. Her mismatched eyes turned to a laughing Hojo. "What's so funny?"

"The wall is impenetrable unless applied with enough force of an unmalting substance or inflammable substance! It's a new little thing we've been perfecting from weapon blaster ammo to be a defensive precaution as well, ingenious really and I of course am manning the project. Turns out you were my Guiana pig in more than a couple ways today!" he answered happily. "Now, I do hope you will give me the samples willingly because we can accomplish many things together if you do, otherwise I'll have to knock you out again but with a stronger dosage."

"You won't get close enough. If I don't prevent you then Sno will, a syringe won't get close to my skin!"

Hojo looked up at the ceiling of her cell pointedly, his glasses lenses flashing white. Kituna and Sno both inclined their faces likewise and Kituna frowned. There was a gas vent above them and it was clear what it was for, filtering any kind of gaseous substance into the 'specimens' below who had no escape for fresh air.

"I do hope you struggle, I'd love to have my hands on a ferno more than anything!" Hojo prattled giddily.

Sno growled deep in her chest and Kituna resumed stroking her. "That's not happening, I'll comply with being a test subject. But only because later I can rip your throat out and I have important things to do. But don't think I'm brushing this under the rug, Rufus will hear about this."

Hojo nodded and went to the dial and began to lower the charge of the plasma. "I'll take a sample now and run some tests, you'll be free to go afterwards."

Kituna urged Sno back around her arm and ignored the still angry glow she was emitting. "Fine." She had to get out as soon as possible, to a more positive atmosphere to subdue the darker side of her DNA, she would go to Aerith's church in Sector 7. As soon as the plasma had dissipated, she walked back to where her coat was neatly laid out on the metal counter and waited as Hojo sterilized a large syringe. She raised an eyebrow. "Is one of that size really necessary?"

He smiled. "I want to be allowed some freedom with your cells, I can't just inject one and get desired results from the subject. Now, you'll feel a sharp sting after a while from the loss of blood but that's perfectly normal." He swiped the crook of her arm with an alcoholic swab and inserted the needle. There was a slight prick feeling that intensified like her whole body was going numb from poor blood circulation. She supposed she was just more sensitive to the feeling of the blood being sucked out of her, even by such a small needle syringe. When he was done filling up the syringe, he pulled the needle free and his smile broadened as her skin instantly healed as soon as the needle left her arm. "Why, I must say, you heal faster than Sephiroth! You are definitely going to be a huge success in my research! You may go now, but I will have you check in or I will check in on you as you are still an ongoing experiment with your divided genes." He smiled up at her like nothing unusual had just happened, just another run into each other in the hall and a pleasant chat about the weather. Kituna hated feeling like that with him.

She nodded curtly and swiftly slipped into her coat, retrieved her mask from the counter, fastened it and pulled up her hood, concealing her unusual new appearance besides her mismatched eyes. She pulled the hood down further and bowed her head for further cover and hurried out the door into the rather empty hall. The only people she saw on her way to the elevator were a few scientists who only gave her side glances, the occasional gawking saucer eyes, but mostly they had places to be so they kept to their schedules and clipboards. Thankfully none of the young girls stopped her, they would have probably been mowed down as she jogged through the winding halls to the elevators in the center of the building and jabbed the button repeatedly. When the doors finally opened for her, she ran smack into a solid wall of muscle and ended up sprawled on the floor just outside the elevator. She quickly checked that her hood hadn't fallen back and that her mask was still in place. Her frantic gloved hands were stopped by a set of firms ones. She jerked at the contact and looked up to see Rufus' worried ocean blue eyes looking at her with obvious concern.

"Hey, are you all right?"

She looked around and once satisfied they were alone, sighed and nodded.

"What happened? You were unaccounted for for hours." He asked as he helped pull her to her feet that were still shaking from the lab. Kituna realized that she hadn't stopped since she had set them in motion, even when she had reached the elevator she had been bouncing from foot to foot. She knew if she had stopped she would not have gotten up for a while.

"Just a regular check-up, that's all." She mumbled, rubbing her lower back and slipping into the close confines of the elevator. Rufus followed her in.

"I was just getting out of a meeting I thought you'd be there for and figured Hojo wasn't done with you."

She nodded. "Just questions."

"Enough dancing around the question, what happened? I know Hojo, and I know you, well enough to see that you're a woman when that cloak is off which would be mandatory for the injections he administers." Rufus said as they watched the numbers flash above the door, counting up to the Lobby.

She turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "You'd know all about those injections, wouldn't you?"

Rufus raised his eyebrows, "Uh, yes, I would. I am the President of this company, I would have had to know what goes on under its roof for some time now."

"That's not what I meant!" she snapped. "Hojo told me you've been wanting injections to get stronger, is that true?"

"And if it is?" he asked.

Kituna shook her head. "No, absolutely not! You are not putting yourself at his mercy with those injections, you will not take that risk."

Rufus smirked. "Really, I'm not? Why not? I can do what I want with my body."

Kituna blushed at how she must have sounded to him and crossed her arms. "That's not what I meant either! Grrrr! I mean that he's not just doing run of the mill mako injections anymore, he's going to be picking a new specimen for an experiment…" she was interrupted by his raised hand.

"I understand your concern but just trust me on this. I would be the one to ruin him if he tried anything, okay? And that is the last thing he would want."

Reluctantly Kituna nodded. "Okay, whatever, I need to get to Aerith's church though. I have to get away from all the negativity of this building."

Rufus leaned back. "Ouch, that's my building you're talking about you know."

"You can come with me, I just… I'm not even sure what's going on but we can't speak here." She hastily tried to explain.

Thankfully, Rufus got the idea. "Ah, the secret business, gotcha."

They rode the elevator up and filed out at the Lobby, Kituna lowering her face from view once again and surprisingly she did have trouble with making her way to the door and onto the street even though all she could see was the legs and feet of those around her. She felt Rufus's hand brush up against hers and heard his hushed voice by her ear. "Don't worry, I won't let you run into anything. Is this hiding your face part of the secret business?"

"It's related to it, yes." She answered in an equally hushed voice, thankful she had someone she could count on beside her if her body went out on her on the way to Sector 7.

_**Another short chapter but I was afraid something would come up and prevent me tomorrow so here it is. I know much isn't happening right now but more will be happening between Kit and her boys in the next few chapters hopefully.**_

_**Thanks for reading and please review ^^**_


	19. Divided We Fall

**Chapter Nineteen: Divided We Fall**

_**Big chapter this time, been waiting for this for a while ^^ anyway, hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it!**_

It was late afternoon when Kituna and Rufus made it to the front steps of the church in the Slums of Midgar. The pair had been going at a fast pace, Kituna leaning on Rufus' arm at times when her foot slipped on the wet grit on the concrete. Kituna hadn't told him any more about why they had to get out to Aerith's church and away from the ShinRa building but Rufus could tell it was urgent to her so he followed dutifully at her side the whole way, almost tripping himself at times.

Kituna looked up at the church and bounded up the steps, two at a time, her legs almost slipping out from under her for the uptenth time that day but she bent down and steadied herself with her hand and pushed on to the top. She flung open the door, startling a crouched Aerith, and collapsed in a twitching mess on the nearest pew. Rufus quickly joined them, closing the heavy double doors carefully behind him before turning his attention to the huffing Cetra hybrid on the pew.

"Now will you tell me what happened to you exactly?" he demanded while gently removing her mask and brushing her bangs from her sweat drenched face. "Why are you so exhausted and sweating? I don't think I've ever seen you like this before…"

She tried to shove his hand away but her arm protested, her body aching from trying to hold off her dark side. She didn't even notice that Rufus was staring at her face and its changes in appearance.

"Why do you look like that?" he gasped, she felt his cool hands brush her face clear of hair and realized she was running a fever.

Aerith's soft footsteps sounded through the vacant church as she approached them. "What's the matter? Why are you guys here?" she stopped when she could see Kituna's twitching body clearly, and her mismatched hair. "What happened to you?" she rushed to the other Cetra's side and laid her cool hand on Kituna's brow. "She's running a high fever… Rufus, do you know what happened?"

The President of ShinRa gawked down at the petite girl demanding such a question of him as if he had done this to her. "I have been asking her that same question but she refused to say anything until we arrived here."

Aerith nodded, her face still set with determination. "I can feel something is very wrong with her, like she isn't the same on the inside. I'm not sure how to describe it, it's like she's changed, yet she's the same… does that make sense?"

Rufus shook his head, it made no sense at all. He bent back over the pained girl on the pew and started to unzip her cloak. "Let's get her outer garments off so she can cool off some…" he muttered as he started to pull her arms free of the leather. Aerith quickly followed suit and began unbuckling her boots, pulling them off carefully and setting them at the end of the pew. Rufus draped her cloak on the back of the pew and pulled her hands free of the leather gloves and unbuckled her belt. Now she was only in her undergarments, pants and tunic, even then it was black and probably not helping cool her down. The young president turned to the concerned flower girl behind him. "Do you have a change of clothes for her by any chance? Something lighter?"

Aerith thought for a moment, looking towards the door in the direction of her home and where her clothes probably were all at. Then her face brightened. "The Market, they would have something and it's much closer than my home is!"

Rufus nodded and handed her a handful of gil. "Go and get something you think would fit her, hurry!"

Aerith accepted the gil and raced off through the doors, her wedge sandals clicking lightly on the stone steps and across the littered path to the Market. Rufus closed the door slightly, enough for privacy but still letting in a gentle afternoon breeze. He then returned to Kituna's side and knelt beside her, her face was red and her eyes screwed shut, sweat glistening all over her skin. He was completely out of his element here.

He waited there like that for about five minutes when Aerith's sandals could be heard slapping against the grit and trash on the street outside the church. Rufus stood as she pounded up the stairs and through the open door, a white sundress over one arm. She was breathing as heavily as Kituna was but she didn't stop and rest, she marched up to Rufus and pulled him towards the door. "She has to change."

Rufus, bothered by being pushed around by the young girl, easily broke out of her tiny hold. "I know that, now give me that dress!"

Aerith crossed her arms and frowned, tapping her small foot in annoyance. "She's not removing a single article of clothing with you present, now step outside so I can change her into this cooler dress."

Rufus scowled. "No, I'm not leaving her like that! What if something happens?"

Aerith's brow furrowed. "Then I'll call you, now go!"

Seeing he wasn't winning the argument, Rufus growled in frustration and stomped out of the church, well aware that the door was slammed behind him. He glowered at the closed oak door and went to sit on the top step, seeing a snickering group of young men staring at him and what had obviously gone down as him getting kicked out of an unused church by Aerith, a small young girl. This caused further irritation to his pride. He was the son of the former President of ShinRa and the current President of the company that supplied power to all of Midgar. He deserved some respect, even from a small flower girl in an unused church in the Slums. Fueled by this new anger, Rufus stood up and marched right back to the door and pounded on the door. Why he announced his decision, he didn't know, he only knew that a furious little brown haired imp attacked him and sent him staggering back out. Enraged by this new act of disrespect, he lunged at the handles of the double doors to find that they didn't turn. He had been locked out.

He tensed as the snickers became a raucous laughter behind him. He would not allow himself to be humiliated!

He was about to reach for his gun at his hip when he heard the soft click of the lock being returned to the unlocked position. He relaxed slightly and reached for the knob once more, finding it was turnable. Satisfied he wasn't being locked out anymore, he pushed open the door and marched in and saw that Kituna was laying out on her pew in the white gown that came down to her knees. Her hair was still bicolored and her face still glistening, her eyes still closed in pain.

"Is she okay? did the dress help?" he asked as he went to inspect her.

Aerith nodded with an irritated groan. "I wouldn't hurt her, she's like family. But she hasn't gotten much better. I feel that it isn't something we can do any more about. It's going on inside her, like literally, not just physically but mentally too."

"Do you know what it is?"

Aerith patiently shook her head, her braid swinging slightly, bumping against the small of her back. "I don't know what ails her but modern medicine can't help her. She's struggling with something but I'm not sure what."

Rufus had at least an idea. "Hojo did this to her. I knew she had been down there with him for too long. She would have had to reveal her identity and then who knows what happened next! Now he's probably injected her with something and she's reacting to it."

Aerith cocked her head, listening quietly. She knew who the professor he spoke of was, had heard his name in not so commendable contexts and seen him in the news and in the papers. He was renowned for what he did, now she knew why he was so successful in his work, he experimented on the best he could get his hands on for a smaller margin for failure. Of course, while she admired his meticulousness for his work, she shivered at the cost of such scientific success. He used real lives of humans as well as his monster supply. He was a truly horrible man. Her dark green eyes fell to Kituna as she shifted again against the old wooden pew. She was having some sort of struggle, though it escaped the youth's mind as to what it was about. Her appearance had changed, half her hair being her dark gold and the other a brilliant platinum. She wondered if this signified something. She decided to voice her thoughts.

"Um, Mr. President…you have noticed that she has half her hair one color and the other half another, correct?" she asked softly.

Rufus's angry blue eyes shifted to her kneeling form and he scowled in annoyance. "Of course I have! Who couldn't notice that?"

Aerith continued looking at Kituna, undaunted by his remark. "Well, I think that that might signify something, like maybe the two halves she's struggling between? I mean, one side seems like her normal self and the other is changing. Maybe a result of an experiment on her by Hojo?"

Rufus looked back at Kituna's panting form and his face softened. "Yeah, that's typically what happens with Hojo's experiments though the families of the specimens that turn into what is desired or die in the process are told that their child was KIA."

"KIA?" Aerith turned towards the tall president. "What's that stand for?"

"Killed in action." Rufus replied, sitting down on the pew by Kituna's head and stroking her cheek. He smiled when she eased up some at his touch.

Aerith scooted closer. "She seems to respond positively to human contact. She liked it when I combed her hair out after slipping on the dress. I think the proof that she's not alone helps calm her soul." She smiled.

Rufus just stared at her. She had always been a strange girl, ever since he had known her in the past and the past future. Always going about her own way, hearing things that others couldn't and calling it a 'feeling'. She was liked by just about everyone that knew her in the Slums, and she could get the flowers to grow. Something that was a great feat in Midgar. He nodded and smiled down at her to her pleasure, and it was a genuine smile. Maybe her being half Cetra helped Kituna out some too. In any case, Rufus was glad she was here to help.

"Do you have any idea when she might be waking up?" he asked absently, his eyes once more fixed on Kituna's pained face.

Aerith shook her head. "Not a clue, but I hope soon."

They sat there for a few silent minutes and Aerith perked up as an idea drifted into her dainty little head. Her eyes brightened and she reached into the base of her braid and removed the small pearl of white materia, holding it up for the light to catch on its pure surface. Rufus instantly recognized the materia and smiled.

"This is my mother's materia, not Elmyra's but my birth mother's…" Aerith began explaining, to be interrupted by the young president.

"Ifalna's, your Cetra birth mother, I know about her. That's brilliant Aerith! Maybe the Ancient Holy materia can help Kituna."

Aerith seemed shocked that Rufus knew so much about her mother's heirloom but shrugged it off. She did know that her mother had been involved with ShinRa in a rather unfortunate turn of events so why shouldn't the President of the company know of such things? She picked herself up off the dusty floor and held the tiny materia cautiously over Kituna's body, unsure of how to activate it or what to expect. Rufus, however, was grinning from ear to ear, this sight alone encouraged Aerith to try her best. She gripped the materia lightly and closed her eyes to focus, not quite knowing what to do. She stood there, concentrating and praying for something to happen, but nothing did. Kituna continued to writhe beneath the pale orb. Aerith bowed her head in defeat and lowered her hand.

"I'm sorry, but I don't exactly know how to activate it…" she quietly confessed.

Rufus sighed. Of course she didn't, she hadn't met Cloud or Avalanche and gone through all their obstacles and discoveries about her race on her mother's side. How could she know the spell. Besides, the spell was to stop Meteor, the large black materia, not cure another Ancient.

Cure…..

Rufus's deep blue eyes slowly turned towards the heap of clothes that Kituna wore as A, more specifically her belt and pouch of materia. She had to have something in there that would help her. He reached for the belt and pulled it from where it had tangled with the black tunic and undid the pouch, letting the black leather belt fall back into the pile of clothes. He rummaged amongst the strange materia that seemed to glow with two different hues of their element, materia crafted by Kituna's parents for her. He pulled each out and set them in a line in one of the grooves between the planks of wood flooring of the church. The fiery red and orange Pyros, the pale blue and white Glaice, the dark violet and soft lavender Thorus, the brown and terra-cotta of Teren, the raging indigo and cobalt of Aquas, the emerald and peridot of Vento but there was no other materia in her little pouch. His fingers ran along the inside of the pouch, searching the seam and every fiber for any remaining materia that wasn't there. Aerith watched him with a worried frown as he grew frantic in his search.

"Does she have a healing materia?" she softly asked, eying the weird materia displayed on the floor in front of the blond.

Rufus shook his head wearily. "These are all her special elemental materia from her parents, I thought she might have a special healing materia among them but apparently I was wrong." He ran a hand through his thick blond hair and closed his eyes. "I just wish I knew what was wrong with her…"

Aerith walked over to where Rufus was sitting and laid a tiny hand on his shoulder, causing him to open his eyes and look up into her wide emerald orbs. "Well, Hojo is a scientist for ShinRa, right?"

Rufus groaned. "_Yes_, he is."

Aerith smiled. "And you are the President of ShinRa, right?"

Rufus paused before making another '_yes' _remark. She did always have a roundabout way of saying things sometimes, not always direct. She was telling him something, not asking stupid questions!

She giggled. "You figured it out, yes?"

He smiled up at her. "Yeah, I guess I forgot in all the excitement." She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back and twirled her dress a bit as Rufus fished his PHS from his jacket pocket. He opened his contacts and scrolled down to Hojo's number and pressed 'send'. The dial tone rang twice and then there was a click as Hojo answered.

"Hello, Mr. President, what can I help you with?" Hojo asked with his weasely voice.

"Professor Hojo, it has come to my attention that you have injected my personal guard with a substance he is having a negative reaction to."

"Ah, Rufus, I'm alone so there's no need for the charade. Explain how my patient is reacting to the treatment?"

"She's writhing in pain, her hair is two different colors, she's running a high fever, what did you do to her?" Rufus almost shouted through the receiver.

Hojo cackled. "A bit concerned are we? Well, that is perfectly natural as she is a hybrid and I injected her with a serum to increase her potential is all. She is only resisting what is bound to happen."

Rufus waited for Hojo to elaborate and when he didn't he continued, "What is bound to happen exactly?"

More maniacal laughter. "Why, she is the battleground of her two personalities. Her father's genes and her mother's genes are fighting for dominance in her body. You wouldn't know much about her background though, the files on Project A aren't quite relevant, Sir."

Rufus's eyes went back to Kituna who let out a sharp breath, twisting her head to and fro. "What do you mean the files aren't relevant?"

"Well, I'm looking at them right here and they are very much wrong from when I was last on the Project!" Hojo exclaimed rather excitedly.

"How wrong are they?" Rufus looked up at Aerith who was no longer smiling but bending down with a confused look in her eyes. She had no idea what the files were or how they could be wrong but she could tell by the President's expression and tone that something wasn't right and that it was linked with the hybrid Cetra on the pew beside them.

"Well, it says here the accounts of her parents and how she was taken and they were killed, her being imprisoned in the process but that's not historically correct. She wasn't taken when her parents were killed you see, she was discovered before Jenova was, she was the first anomaly we encountered before we were a company. Your ancestor, Jorun was the first to discover her, encased in mako, while he was inspecting the potential energy source in a cave deep in the Sleeping Forest. I believe she has been misled on her true origins." Hojo explained.

"Sound familiar to another of your experiments?" Rufus asked coldly, his eyes taking in Kituna in a new light. The files were wrong? How could they be wrong? Who had filled in that information and why make it false information? He didn't know much about his ancestors but he did know that greed ran in his family and they had all been seeking more power.

"Yes, although she will come across the answers soon enough I presume. That was my theory anyway. None of the scientists who had worked on Project A, ShinRa's first project, knew of her exact origins and her DNA was a mystery, no record had been kept of her kind. It was a real anomaly for us all. Then I was in the library and found some interesting books there…"

"The library in Nebilheim?" Rufus asked, knowing that was where the records of the Ancients had been kept when Sephiroth had come across them.

Hojo laughed, angering Rufus more. This was not a laughing matter, Kituna's life and therefore the Planet's was at stake here. His eyes went back to Aerith and he scowled. She was so young and naïve, but perhaps if Kituna didn't survive whatever was happening he could prepare her to protect the Planet at all costs, train her to fight and fill the role better than in her previous future with AVALANCHE.

"President, nothing valuable was kept there! As the actual truth was discovered by various scientists, we kept the knowledge to ourselves, giving us infinite value to the company and keeping us largely in control. The library I speak of has been moved since I last came across it, only able to pick up bits and pieces of its invaluable resources before it was moved to a more secret location. I do not know where it lies anymore and can't seem to find it no matter how hard I have searched. Some who know little about it claim it was burned to the ground to keep the secrets contained, the arsonist afraid that the knowledge would lead to the destruction of the Planet. I, however, think it is very well hidden."

Rufus groaned. "So this library is lost… how does that help us?"

"I'm afraid not, but if she doesn't remember her past and enlighten us then the Sleeping Forest will probably hold some if not all the answers." Hojo confirmed. "Now, where are you? I must see how my experiment is fairing and run more tests before further progressing with other experiments in the project."

Rufus immediately hung up, seeing that Hojo would not be answering any further questions and having developed many more in the process of his answers. He knew from the previous future that the Sleeping Forest was where the City of the Ancients was, the initial death scene of Aerith as she attempted to save the Planet from an insane Sephiroth and Jenova. That much made sense to him, of course Kituna's heritage through her father would withhold information there and perhaps yield answers to them of what was happening.

Aerith wrapped her arms around her and looked back with growing worry at Kituna who had started to breathe rapid and ragged, gasping as if going through childbirth. She turned back to Rufus who stood and raised her hand cautiously, wanting to say something. Rufus shrugged his shoulders to relief the tension a few times. "Aerith, he didn't tell me much, just that he injected a serum to increase her potential though I don't know exactly what he did to her. He did say, however, that if she doesn't remember her actual past then the Sleeping Forest could possibly give us answers."

The young brunette tilted her head. "The Sleeping Forest…? I've heard that name before, from the Planet, but where is it?"

Rufus sighed. She really was a strange girl. "Of course the Planet would have told you about it, in the past future you traveled there to stop an insane man from fatally wounding the Planet in the Northern Crater. Within the Sleeping Forest is the City of the Ancients, the city of your ancestors and her ancestors."

Aerith nodded, accepting this new information as she turned back to Kituna, frowning at her sweating brow. "She must be burning up… poor thing."

Rufus looked back down at Kituna's materia, lined up in the neat and orderly row he had accounted them in and bent back down to put them back in her materia bag, neatly arranging her garments by folding them and straightening any wrinkles in the fabrics. When he next stood to his full height he joined Aerith by Kituna and sighed. "I'm going to go see if I can get a Cure materia of some sort from the Market along with some water and a cloth for her forehead. You two will stay here until I return, not letting anyone in, I don't care who it is. Understood?"

Aerith could tell that he was a man used to being obeyed and quickly nodded. "Of course!"

Rufus nodded, satisfied that she would do as he asked and quickly exited the quiet church and closed the door quietly behind him. He turned to go down the steps and into the cluttered street, his dark blue eyes taking in the group of men that had laughed at his being kicked out moments before still loitering on a junk heap across the street, their eyes taking him in with mischievous smirks painted on their faces. He checked to make sure his gun was at his hip discretely, honestly hoping they would cause trouble so he could vent his frustration by shooting their limbs out from under them before blowing their brains out. To his annoyance, they remained where they were and he was forced to continue down the street towards the large metal gate leading to the Market.

When he pushed through the gate and into the Market, Rufus found the place to be packed with dingy clothed workers headed to the bars for an after work drink and some easy company, mothers rushing to complete their end of the day errands with mischievous children in tow, and couples window shopping, all of them loud and crowding the streets. Rufus sighed and quickly searched for a convenience store that would sell bottled water and cloths and found one far down the line of shops to his right, a materia shop farther down to his left. There were a lot of bobbing heads between him and his two destinations, causing the president of the ShinRa Electric Company to groan inwardly. He straightened his white coat, making a mental note to get a larger coat with a collar so he could hide his face at times like this, and trudged through the crowd, his boots clicking slightly on the grimy street.

080

Back in the church, Aerith was sitting patiently by Kituna's head. Rufus had been gone for only five minutes but she knew how the Market was at this time of day. Workers from the factories were just getting off, young couples were going out for dinner or to shop and mothers were trying to wrap up the days errands with noisy children. Not to mention the usual homeless men and families and criminals that roamed streets for easy money or just plain violence.

Aerith sighed as Kituna panted beside her, sweat running down her face, her hair sticking to her forehead, cheeks and neck. She wished she could do more for her but there was a reason Rufus had left for the Market, they had nothing in the church to help her, Aerith only coming here to be closer with the Planet and tend her flowers not live here!

She stiffened at the sound of footsteps outside the church. She rose to her feet with a worried look returning to her face. Rufus couldn't have gotten what he went for and be back by now so who was coming up to the church's doors? She wrung her hands as she tried to think of what to do when a loud banging knock sounded on the heavy wood, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Hey, little girlie, time to open up!" a gruff voice said close against the door.

Aerith's green eyes widened in fear and she heard herself squeak. She quickly ran to the door and locked it, stepping back with unsure eyes to see if they attempted to break in. Her fears were answered a moment later when the banging continued at a harder and faster rate.

A different voice spoke, "Hey, we said open up!"

"We're not gonna hurt ya." A third voice laughed.

Fear was rising in her chest, gripping Aerith's rapidly beating heart with its claws of ice. She ran back to Kituna and crouched beside her ill friend. She didn't know what to do, nothing like this had ever happened to her before, everyone was always so nice to her and usually protected her from such crude acts. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and quickly blinked them back, unwilling to be weak when a fellow Cetra needed her to be strong. Her vision began to blur despite her efforts as the banging intensified and she heard the old oak wood groaning under the strain. She didn't know how many assailants there were besides the three that had spoken and she didn't want to know. She found herself closing her eyes tight and praying to the Planet to aid her in her time of need, wishing now that Rufus did return early despite the pedestrian traffic.

080

Rufus hurried into the convenience store to find to his relief it was far less crowded than the street outside and quickly walked to the aisle where towels and cloths were being displayed and selected the first thing he saw, a bound set of soft white wash cloths. He then headed to the front, grabbing a bottle of water from a small sliding glass door refrigerator on his way to the check-out counter.

The man behind the counter took the goods and rung them up slowly, having nothing better to do with the slow business that was obvious within the quiet almost empty store. Rufus scanned the store and saw that an older lady was taking her time selecting some shampoo in the Health and Beauty section and a tired looking woman with a small young boy attached to her hand were scanning the shelves for the next week's meals. He turned back to the man behind the counter and pulled out more than enough gil from his overstuffed wallet and quickly snatched up the small bag of his items, not giving the man time to count out his change, not caring how much he had overpaid.

"Keep the change," he said over his shoulder as he headed for the door. "I'm in a bit of a hurry."

He saw the man's face brighten with a smile at the unexpected sum of money he had been left and heard him exclaim his thanks over and over. He wondered for a moment just how much he had left behind and the old him wanted to go back and snatch it all back, telling the man he should be honored the President of the ShinRa Company had graced his lowly store, but his new self was worried about Kituna and Aerith back at the church. He didn't feel comfortable leaving the alone for a length of time, not trusting anyone in the Slums or more specifically that group of men that were perched right outside the church when he had left. He knew Aerith wouldn't be naïve enough to let the group in if they tried but he also suspected that if they did try to enter the once holy sanctuary that they could easily overpower her. A twinge of worry rose up within him as he saw Aerith trying to hold back the group of five burly men at the church's doors and failing, he saw her face twisted in pain and fear not only for herself but for Kituna. The thought only made him pick up his pace as he grew near the materia shop, an array of the colored magic orbs displayed in the window. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that he knew wouldn't go away until he returned to the old church to find both girls safe and sound as he had left them.

080

Aerith cowered beside Kituna, the ill hybrid now drawing still from her writhing and ragged breathing, as if she sensed they were in a tense moment outside of her delirium and was awaiting what happened next as Aerith was forced to do. Her eyes snapped open as a loud crack sounded throughout the foyer of the old church, the old oak wood doors finally giving in despite their thickness. She clasped a hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp and tentatively looked up to see two heads above the pew from her vantage point. She fell back when they spotted her, wicked smiles spreading across their faces like a hideous disease. As three others came into view, Aerith looked worriedly at Kituna who wasn't moving and paused, not wanting to leave her alone but afraid she had no choice. As the men slowly walked toward her, eying their new prey, she pushed her feet and hands against the old floor, scooting backwards in a mad scramble to stay away from their greedy hands.

She shrieked as two of them jogged down to the other end of the pew, blocking that means of escape, and instead went to all fours and scrambled underneath the row of pews, heading towards her flower garden. She heard their boots pounding against the wood planks, could feel the violent vibrations through her hands and knees, a foreshadowing of their violent intentions.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached the end of the row and stumbled to her feet, dashing to the shaft of light that highlighted her little garden and past it to the back of the church. She frantically searched for a means of escape besides the double doors behind her at the front of the church but found nothing. She paused and realized the heavy footfalls had stopped and turned slightly to peer over her shoulder at the three men in a half circle surrounding her. The other two had remained by Kituna, eying her with unhidden lust, evil grins playing across their dirt smeared features.

Her own fear was shoved aside in worry of her friend and the young Cetra balled her small hands into fists, her face hardening in her resolve. She rushed forward, surprising the man she was approaching enough that she ran right past him.

"No! Leave her alone!" she screamed, her sandaled feet slapping the wooden floor loudly as she charged at the man who was stroking Kituna's leg. She launched herself into him, sending them both to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

Aerith pushed against his chest, thankful that the wind was knocked out of him, giving her the opportunity to stand up and run for the door for help.

She didn't notice the other man sneak up behind her until his thick arm was wrapped tightly around her waist and hauling her backwards and up off the ground. She struggled, her arms flailing and her legs kicking, feeling each impact she made against his muscled body. Her assault only jarred her bones, he was unfazed as he carted her back to the pew where Kituna lay. She was dumped beside her friend and the pair were surrounded by all five angry men.

Aerith trembled and this time couldn't stop the tears as they rushed faster down her face, hastily scrubbing them away, trying hard to appear strong in place of Kituna.

"Please, leave us alone…" she nearly whispered.

The man she had shoved to the floor only laughed. "After what you did? Are you kidding? I like them feisty!"

Aerith screamed and tried to run away again, only to be roughly shoved back into the pew. The man stomped over and gripped her arm, bruising it in the process, and pulled her toward him. She slapped him across the face and pulled at his iron grip to get away. He laughed a long, cold, evil laugh and continued to drag her down the pew, leaving his buddies behind with Kituna.

"No!" Aerith continued to scream, praying madly that someone would be passing by and hear her, praying someone would come to their aid.

080

Rufus was headed back through the crowd, a Curaga deep in his pocket of his pants and a grave look on his face. He had thankfully been in and out with the materia store which, although busier than the previous shop, had multiple people manning the check-out counter and the lines had moved along in no time. He picked up his pace, the image of Kituna and Aerith at the mercy of those men fueling his eagerness to get back. He knew if Kituna was awake that there would be no problem, but she wasn't and she probably wouldn't be coherent for a while still. He silently cursed Hojo for his wacko experiments, even as he hoped he would be getting his injection soon. The scientist was brilliant but only as a scientist, not a man, he was lesser than the dirt beneath the soles of the lower class citizens of Midgar in just about everyone's eyes and for good reason. Everyone knew he didn't care for anything as long as his experiments were able to be performed, giving him power behind their inhuman strength. That was the only reason Rufus hadn't had Sephiroth kill him, he was needed, Hollander being lesser of a scientist in the field of mako injections.

He finally cleared the gate and broke into a run down the near empty street, agilely dodging piles of garbage and skirting around loitering homeless who held out paper cups and tin cans for gil as he passed. He had no time for them at the moment, the girls were in danger, he could feel it.

080

Kituna gasped on her knees before the silver haired version of herself in her mind. Tears were in her eyes at the pain she was inflicting trying to break free but she knew she had to keep her in check, for the sake of those around her. Her mother's side, no matter how much Shiroi loved and cared for her daughter, attracted evil and brought out the evil in every living thing around her. It was the way of Jenova, too, driving men insane in quests for more power and dominance. She wouldn't become that, a beacon for evil, she couldn't afford to. It would make her mission that much harder to cleanse Jenova's influence on the Planet and the three SOLDIER First Class operatives back in the ShinRa building. She had to be strong.

The silver haired version of herself came closer and knelt beside her, gently cupping her sweaty cheek.

"You have to let me out now. It will be so much easier…"

She shook her head, her gaze falling to the golden haired version of her off to her left, curled in a protective fetal position with tear streaks covering her face. "I won't let you take over!"

She sighed. "You really have no choice, there are more calamity cells in your system now so naturally I will be dominate. Currently I am stronger and that can only aid you at the moment." She said sweetly.

Kituna was sickened by her tone. "No…"

"Listen, it's going to happen. You can let me take over now which would be less painful or you can draw it out which would only cause more pain. Your body is currently in shock, you're in a comatose state and honestly that's not helping your friend any."

Kituna was about to shout her denial all over again as she had been doing for the hours that have passed, at least it seemed like hours, but stopped. "What do you mean?"

Her silver haired persona smiled. "That half Cetra girl… the one in the church? What's her name? Anyway, she's in danger and so is your body for that matter. But I can help. Let me take over now and spare her the pain that gang of men are going to cause her and your body."

Kituna's eyes widened but she realized she had no choice after all. She couldn't carry on resisting her stronger half, not when it only weakened her and continued to leave Aerith and her at the mercy of the gang of men. She didn't know how many there were or where Rufus had gone but finally let her walls crumble around her, cringing as the icy power of her silver haired persona rushed in to greet her.

"Thank you, now let's see about those slimy bastards."

Kituna opened her eyes again to find herself no longer on the pew in her black garb but in a white sundress with a burly man clutching the front of her dress, lifting her up in the air and inspecting her face. He grinned as he saw her eyes open but froze when he saw her hair draining of its golden color and becoming completely silver. She felt a burning sensation in her right eye and felt the full barrage of her power passed down through her mother coursing through every fiber of her body. She heard her silver haired persona's chilling laughter of triumph in her head but shoved the eerie feeling aside, her eyes searching for Aerith.

She saw three other men around her, noticing their hands upon her, running up and down her legs and along her torso, but didn't see Aerith. Then she heard the young girl screaming no at the top of her voice, obviously trying to attract any chance of help from outside. She followed the noise, easily pinpointing her location behind one of the men in her line of sight with her more acute senses. Fury roared inside her, begging to be unleashed on the men around her.

She clenched a hand, smiling as she gained control over her whole body, and brought it up to the man holding her dress. She smirked as she heard his jaw break on impact and multiple bones in his neck snap as his head was turned almost all the way around three-hundred and sixty degrees. His buddies around her froze as terror filled their faces and Kituna grabbed the dead man's hand still clenched in a death grip on the front of her dress and removed his hold, lifting his weighty body with the ease of lifting a feather, flinging him across the church to smack into the far wall at the back of the church. Her cold eyes turned to the other men in turn, each frozen in place. They were now her prey and she the predator.

She brought her leg up in a nut cracking arch upward, sending the unfortunate man up to the rafters where his body went through the roof and then down again, breaking one of the many rafters on his way down to splinter one of the pews in the opposite row. This broke the paralysis on the other two who quickly began to back track to the door, leaving their leader with Aerith as he looked back from handling the flower girl to see two of his buddies dead. Kituna leapt to stand in front of the doorway to block their escape and smiled crazily, relishing the taking of their worthless lives.

Aerith looked around in terror through teary eyes, taking in the wreckage of the smashed pew covered in blood and the wall adorned with a fresh splatter of blood above the broken body of another man. She finally saw Kituna standing like an avenging angel in the doorway of the church, blocking the other's escape.

The man who had been pulling Aerith down to the floor, his hands still up her dress, looked over at Kituna as well and froze at the sight. She had a crazed look on her face, one of a cold blooded killer, and two of his men were already dead in the span of a few seconds. He had assumed the noises had been them roughing around and brushed it off, but when they had rushed towards the door he had looked up to see why they were in such a hurry to leave such pretty company and now he saw why. He quickly dropped Aerith to the ground and pressed himself against the stone wall of the church, trying to hide in the shadows and remain unseen.

Aerith pushed herself away from the terrified man and pulled herself to her feet with the help of one of the pews, quickly checking to make sure her dress was still intact and gladly noting she was only shaken up at the near occurrence she would rather not think about. She looked back at Kituna to find her hands covered in blood and the men no longer in sight and gulped. The smell of blood was everywhere and its coppery stench burned her nose as she gulped again, this time to fight down the rising nausea. When she next looked up she saw Kituna slowly walking her way and for a moment she felt the need to bolt for her life but quickly chided herself no matter how scary the hybrid was right now. She was still her friend.

Kituna stopped by Aerith's side and tilted her head to inspect the shaking girl. Once she was sure she had pertained no injuries she turned to the dark evening shadows of the church's interior wall and smirked.

"You think you can hide from me? I can smell your fear rolling off you in waves, let alone your piss." She said in a more mature voice than she usually spoke with. Aerith noted that everything about her seemed more adult though she didn't know her age to judge with, just that her eyes were colder and her posture that of a seasoned killer like the leaders of the Army. She also noted that aside from her hands, she was clean of any blood or dirt.

Kituna strode into the shadows, her predatory violet eyes glowing in the dark, illuminating where the man had pressed up against the cold stone wall as she came face to face with him, close enough to stick her tongue out and lick him on accident if she so chose. Aerith trembled at what was bound to happen next and quickly covered her eyes with both her hands, sitting down solidly in the pew and turning away.

"Oh, you seem afraid to be this close," Kituna simpered. "I thought you wanted to touch me, why the sudden change in your mood? I thought violence was a turn on." Her voice turned cold and Aerith soon heard a crunch of bone and dry gasp before the wet thud of the man who was going to rape her a minute ago hitting the floor lifelessly.

At that moment Rufus ShinRa barged through the busted door with his gun at the ready in one hand and his plastic bag of cloths and water bottle in the other. His eyes were bright with the aspect of battle but they widened at the sight of the two men on the floor directly at his feet, their necks crushed in so much that blood had erupted from their nose, ears and eyes which were bugging out, their faces frozen forever in terror. He searched the room for the other three to find one smeared on the far wall in front of him and the other now painting the pile of wood that had once been a pew. His eyes stopped when he saw Aerith sitting in the second pew from the front in the row to his right, her shoulders shaking as she cried into her hands.

He rushed over, noticing that Kituna wasn't in the back pew where she had been lying when he had left but needing to soothe the young Cetra before pressing the matter of her disappearance. When he reached her he laid his bag down and lightly touched her shoulder, startling her.

She shrieked when she felt his touch and flinched away but when her large green eyes met his concerned blue she stopped.

"Aerith, what happened?" he asked as softly as possible so not to spook her further.

She continued to sob, however, hiccups joining her little gasps for air in her terror. He tried again, "What killed those men, Aerith? Where is Kituna?"

In answer to his questions, Aerith looked briefly over her shoulder at something in the shadows before turning back to look pleadingly at Rufus.

The young president slowly rose back to his full height from his crouching position and with his gun ready, walked closely to the shadows and what lay within their dark confines. He heard a footstep and instantly brought his gun up, aiming it at the spot where the figures torso would be judging by the sound of the foot fall. He was about to shoot, knowing this was what had violently killed those men and done something to Kituna while she lay defenseless, but then he saw the outline of the figure and then it opened its eyes. He gasped as the violet eyes he knew so well stared back at him, though he was chilled at their catlike slit pupils. This was… and yet wasn't… "Kituna?"

She walked out into the faded evening light and smiled at him. "Rufus!" her voice was slightly more mature sounding, much like the older female employees for the ShinRa building. She clapped her hands together and ran to him, her eyes closed as she stepped past his still raised gun and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He was in shock but quickly wrapped one hand around her as she jumped in place with excitement.

"What happened?" he managed to ask once she'd paused in her jumping.

She stepped back and studied him, a small frown on her angelic face. "What do you mean?"

Rufus gestured with his gun hand at all the carnage within the old church, feeling such a question shouldn't have been the answer to his. Her gaze followed the point of his gun, her head turning from side to side, her short and longer bangs swishing across her face with each turn. Realization flashed in her eyes and she nodded her head in understanding.

"Oh! To them you mean? Well, they were trying to hurt Aerith when I woke up and so I stopped them." She said with a proud smile, her eyes closed as she hunched her shoulders up with her hands still on Rufus' shoulders.

He looked back at her with a puzzled look and slowly returned his gun to its holster. "But… why so violently? And how did you wake up? When I left for a wash cloth and water for your condition you were locked in an extremely high fever."

Kituna looked up at him and shrugged. "I just let the change happen." She smiled and twirled away from him to stop and stare up at the hole high in the ceiling of the church. "I'm stronger now, too. When I first punched the guy holding me I didn't expect the force behind it to break his jaw and turn his head around completely almost! The others were me testing my strength, I didn't mean to kick that other guy up into the roof and back down into the pew or to completely crush those others' throats…" her eyes hardened, "But that last one was touching Aerith. I meant to rip his heart out."

Rufus staggered back at her sudden mood swing from bright and bubbly to cold and deadly in a matter of nanoseconds. "You did what?" he gasped.

She turned back to him, her face still cold and aloof. "I ripped his perverted heart out for what he was doing to Aerith. He was in the process of raping her so I stopped him."

Rufus looked down at Aerith who was staring at Kituna's hands. "Your hands are clean now…" she whispered so softly it was barely audible to Rufus' ears but Kituna seemed to have heard her loud and clear as she arched a slim silvery eyebrow.

"Yes, I wiped them clean on his shirt so that I wouldn't get anything bloody." She replied simply.

Aerith looked around the room quickly and hugged herself. "I don't think you did a very good job of that."

Rufus looked around the room again as well, taking in the bloody massacre with wide eyes. It was just beyond him that she would do this, not so much the action but the violence of it. It reminded him of Sephiroth from the past future…. His dark blue eyes returned to Kituna who stood straight and tall, her head slightly lowered so that her bangs fell around her face and slightly into her eyes that were glowing an eerie violet glow of murder.

_**Wow, over 8,000 words, been a while since I've been able to write that! ^^ Please review!**_


	20. Sanity?

**Chapter Twenty: Sanity…?**

_**I wanna give a special thanks to a good friend Brady who doesn't have computer access all the time but has printed this story when he gets the chance so he can read it at home! I'm just glad that people read this ^^ I love y'all and really hope you enjoy!**_

_**The towns in this chapter are completely made up and of no real significance. I own nothing of Final Fantasy 7 just my own OCs**_

Shiroi gasped, finally filling her lungs with air as she slowly uncurled from her fetal position. She looked up with teary eyes to Yochi and another of the Ancient Elders and choked on more tears, just barely able to swallow them and sit still.

Yochi wrapped his arms around her and she shuddered at his warm touch. "Shiroi, what is the matter?"

She shook her head and wiped away a stray tear from her dark violet eyes and pushed her platinum hair from her damp face. "What we feared has happened, Yochi, she is….she has….it's happening again!" she crumpled against his chest. "It's my fault! It's…because of my…blood.."

Yochi slowly rocked her in his lap, one hand rubbing her back in a soothing motion and the other stroking her hair. "No, it's not your fault, please calm down and tell me what happened?"

Shiroi struggled to collect herself and tried to remember what they had been doing before she had felt the icy pain assault her body, the connection between her and her daughter sending her a signal, the same signal that had been given so many years ago. Fear was dominant in her mind, fogging her common sense and telling her to run to Kituna and swoop her away to a safer place where she could be safe from herself. It was so strong she had to fight herself from pushing Yochi away from her and leaping up and doing what her body wanted her to do as fast as was possible. She looked up fearfully at Yochi and found his presence and concerned face calming as it had always been to her. He was the one who had saved her from Jenova's madness, convinced her that she didn't need to consume a planet's energy and take away life to make herself stronger, that a family, that love, did the same and made you the strongest being in the world. She took a deep breath and focused on what was happening or had happened in this case to their daughter.

"She has become unbalanced again, I felt a rush of cold energy like before, the same feel of my power but much stronger than my own or hers at the time of the last incident. She released much of it, slowly gaining control of it…she took five lives in such a short time…" she wrapped her arms around her, the imprint of the icy power awakening her own killing instincts and dark urges she had buried for so long. "It's affecting me my love, I feel the urges to kill arising…"

Yochi looked up at the Elder behind him and nodded his head stiffly. Things were definitely not going according to plan with his daughter and he was afraid if history repeated itself she would end up in another mako pit to crystalize once more, but this time she would be placed where no man or beast could find her. It pained him to think of that as a solution but knew that the past bloodshed couldn't be repeated at any cost and then there was the mission she had bestowed on herself of altering the past for a better future. Someone else would have to fill her shoes, but was anyone strong enough and able minded? He looked down at his wife and sighed as her old self and her true self battled beneath her skin. Right now he had to make sure she didn't break loose either while the Elders dealt with Kituna, that and pray for the best.

"Darling, remember that she isn't alone anymore though. Sno found her during last time and is with her now. She will help her…"

Shiroi barely managed a nod and clutched his tunics front with white knuckles. Yochi smiled weakly and hugged her tighter. "It will be different this time, it has to be. As long as Jenova remains dormant Kit will be alright this time."

080

Genesis stretched his arms high above his head, his now trademark red leather coat and gloves laid out on the table of the room he'd been given in the small town of Baol along the coast of Wutai. He had just been sent out for special recon with his new troops as his first line of missions as a SOLDIER First Class and he was bored out of his wits. His eyes scanned the small room he had all to himself, his men sharing other rooms in the same hotel as well as other hotels in the city and its neighbor, Ramm.

He was finding that besides the fact of having a lot more men under his command, he had no real difference in his duties from his previous ranks besides making the decisions that kept them all alive or killed them and the fact that he could pass up a mission assigned to him, which he wouldn't do unless he had to. But this wasn't a mission that was under him exactly, all he had to do was follow the commands Lazard had given him and they were pretty clear of getting information on Wutai, not talking about it just writing it down, without being seen and then returning after two weeks with the documents and whatever else solid they could get their hands on without giving themselves away. To him it was a boring mission indeed.

He fell to the floor on his hands and toes and began to rigorously do sets of push-ups, reveling in the burn of his muscles being put to work, craving to be out fighting instead of quietly sneaking through shadows with open ears. He continued to pump up and down, hypnotizing himself with the rising and descending of his torso and the sight of the floorboards drawing closer to his steady eyes. He didn't notice when the temperature in the room dropped until he was feeling the beads of sweat chilling his face. He paused and held himself above the floor for a moment, his eyes scanning the room for the sudden drop in temperature but finding nothing, questioning what he expected to find in the first place. He pushed against the floorboards and pulled back, bending his knees so that he was in a crouching position before standing and rolling his arms. He stretched the lactic acid free of his muscles while he strolled around the small room he had taken for himself, giving the larger rooms for his men who would be sharing and needing the space. He searched this time for cracks in the floors, walls and along the ceiling, then he moved on to search for any signs of an icy spell being used by someone or some monster trying to get into his room and take him out in the name of Wutai. He still found nothing. He reached for his leather gloves, pulled them on, then slipped into his long leather coat as the temperature continued to drop. He reached for his strongest fire spell and tapped it to activate the small orb so that it bathed the small space in a warm glow and radiated warmth. He rubbed his hands together around the orb and began to roll it along his chest, arms and legs in an attempt to negate the freezing temperatures. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, bouncing in place to keep his sluggish blood flowing, wondering why his body felt like he was standing outside the Icicle Inn during a blizzard. He made his way over to the small square window and looked out at the warm afternoon scene, women walking around in swimsuits to and from the nearby beach that the small town was built around and men running around in shorts and some with no shirts on, their bare chests glistening with sweat from just walking down the streets. So how could he be this cold when they weren't! He was feeling the heat not three hours ago at best, walking around in his sleeveless black shirt like it was the middle of June with his men!

Genesis shivered for what felt like the millionth time and rubbed his arms through his coat's sleeves. It just didn't make any sense and he feared he was either going crazy or suffering severe symptoms from his last mako injection which was ludicrous. But what other answer was there?

_My son…._

Genesis turned towards the door, half expecting to see his mother smiling back at him with something she for some reason decided to bring to him in Wutai then mentally slapped himself in the forehead. _What would she be doing here?_ Absolutely nothing is what she'd be doing here. He growled at his own foolishness and stomped over to the door, throwing it open and going out into the hall. He locked the door behind him and frowned when he shivered again, his teeth chattering violently in his skull. What was wrong with him? He rubbed his arms aggressively against his coats sleeves and quickly marched down the hall and down the creaky steps to the lobby. He stopped when the cold was still with him but a tourist couple walked past him in shorts and sleeveless shirts. Something was definitely wrong and it wasn't the air circulation like he had hoped.

He snarled his frustration at himself and forced his arms to relax at his sides and his feet to walk out into the harsh sunlight. He laughed dryly when he wasn't surprised that the temperature he was feeling didn't change. He calmly accepted that he was either dying, dead, or insane and walked down the crowded street to a bar with loud laughter and music flowing out into the street. Maybe some liquor would warm him up at least on the inside and if not then he'd just drink until he didn't care anymore.

Genesis chose a lone seat by the far wall in the shadows and motioned for the bartender for a shot glass. The ample brunette sashayed over and flipped her long straight hair and flashed a perfect white smile his way as she set down a glass by his gloved hands.

"What'll it be tonight handsome?" she asked in a silky voice.

Genesis ignored her flirtatious attitude and rolled the glass between his fingers on the polished bar countertop. "Your strongest Scotch."

She nodded. "Alright, been a hard day?"

Genesis chuckled softly. "You could say that, or a hard week or two."

She pulled out the Scotch and filled his glass with the amber liquid with a knowing nod. "Shit happens to the best of us, ya know? Need to vent?"

Genesis swallowed the Scotch in one swift gulp and didn't even flinch as the liquid burned its way down his throat, it didn't do much against the cold. He looked up at her and flinched at the girl's dark eyes, they were such a dark blue that they looked violet. He looked down instead at his now full glass as she filled it again and tossed that one back as well, wishing it was stronger.

"Not really… I don't really know what I'd say to you." he mumbled as she filled him up again.

She shrugged. "Anything you need to hun, that's part of my job description, hmhm." She giggled gently and leaned on her elbows in front of him, silently coaxing him to unburden his troubles to her.

Genesis remained silent as he tilted back his glass and grimaced at the cold burn he felt, he felt like he was growing colder instead of warmer. He shook his head and cradled his forehead in his gloved hands. "You wouldn't understand…"

"Girl trouble?" she guessed with a tentative smile, tilting her head to look past his interwoven fingers to see his azure eyes.

He sighed. "Part of it."

"Well, let's see… That could be one of a few things. She could be crazy for you but you sick of her, she could be sick of you but you crazy for her, or you could both feel attracted yet disgusted in each other. Then again there's always the possibility that she or you are already engaged with a person and still feel the attraction… hmm…do any of those hit the mark?" she giggled, trying to lighten the mood.

Genesis shivered and rubbed his arms. "I'd rather not talk about it, okay."

The bar maid nodded solemnly and emptied the bottle into his glass. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, not realizing she had poured him a whole bottle and he was still on his feet and coherent. "Uh, are you alright?" she asked with a slight hint of worry in her voice that the SOLIDER First Class didn't appreciate.

His head snapped up and he glared at her. "I just want to be left alone with a drink, now will you do your job and fill me up again or do I have to go to another bar?"

The brunette peered into his clear blue eyes, momentarily captivated by their stark beauty, like the blue ice of glaciers in the Northern Continent. Then she started, his eyes were still clear, he wasn't even buzzed! "You… drank a whole bottle of our strongest Scotch… Are you sure you're okay?"

Genesis instantly realized the cause of her concern and grew concerned himself. He had never been a light weight when it came to drinking but he had been drunk or at least buzzed before finishing any bottle of liquor. He looked down at his hands with wide eyes laced with fear, further worrying the bar maid. He shook his head then nodded it.

"I… I'm fine… I guess I didn't realize how much I had been drinking. I'll just be going now then…" he fished out a handful of gil from his wallet, not even counting it or waiting for change as he pushed himself away from the bar and staggered through the crowd filling in to get out into the stuffy streets. He staggered around, failing to make sense of what was happening and fearing the worst as he made his way to the soft sands of the beach.

He slumped down in a secluded space behind a pile of rocks and stared out at the rising and falling white frothy crests far off on the horizon.

"What's happening to me?" he whispered, it had only been yesterday he was normal, everything had been going great. His career was finally taking off and he was getting everything he had ever wanted from his life in ShinRa. What did he do wrong? Did he deserve this? Was it the end?

_No._

Genesis paused in his thoughts at the familiar voice, the one that had called him 'son' back in his hotel room. He sat up straighter and looked around for the woman the voice belonged but saw no one.

_Heheh, oh child, you can't see me yet but we will meet. I promise._

He felt the chill inside him almost flex, the feeling like icy shards moving throughout his muscles and bones. He raised a hand to clutch at his skull and winced.

_My dear, you are a strange one, I am not so strong in you as I had hoped to be… Pity, but you will do._

"I'll do for what? What are you talking about!" Genesis yelled from his now kneeling position.

_The cells aren't strong in you but you possess some of my power, that much is proven with my ability to talk with you at such a great distance. Now, on to more important matters, I know your desires Genesis, all of them. You are troubled by my other children, are you not? You long for something that is far beyond your reach though right in front of you. You are not alone my son, I will help you get what you need. I need it too, the Gift of the Goddess, we can have it together._

Genesis looked up, forgetting there was no one there to look at. "What do you know of the Gift of the Goddess? The last act is missing of Loveless so no one but the writer knows what it is so how can you give it to me?"

The voice laughed._ Gen, you are a funny one, I am pleased. The Gift is anything open to interpretation, the author probably never even wrote the last act, leaving it open for the viewer or reader to place what their gift would be and what it stood for. What do you desire Genesis? What is it you _truly _desire? Tell me, I am your Mother._

"You aren't my mother…" he mumbled.

_Hm, just tell me, dear. What do you want most on the Planet?_

Genesis thought for a moment and studied the golden sand under his hand through his long fingers. What did he want? What was he doing? He was talking to himself, placing his mother in the role of guidance as she had always been for him to sort out himself. He smiled at this realization, he wasn't crazy! There was no other voice in his head but what his subconscious interpreted as his mother back in Banora. He sighed with intense relief, feeling his body loosen up immediately from the loss of the stress such down spiraling thoughts had chiseled into his mind and body. That was when his eyes were opened to what he wanted.

"The Goddess herself…" he whispered with a small grin of joy and longing.

_The Goddess? Whom would this be my son?_

He chuckled lightly, his body finally warming up at her memory of the golden Goddess he so desired. "Kituna."

_Ah, her. Yes, I need her help too my son and you are the one I wish to get help in getting her help. She is close to my eldest son and getting closer especially now. You have to return to her as soon as possible._

"But I'm on a mission, I can't return now, not until we get our information." Genesis protested.

_There is no time to lose but you are right, you are hindered by ShinRa. You wouldn't be though with my help. What do you say my son? If you help me, I will help you._

"What help is it you have in mind for me?" Genesis asked cautiously, unsure of his mental state once again. What could his mental illusion of his mother offer him to get him out of his recon duties?

_I will awaken your body, enhance your abilities to make you like your idol, make you strong! ShinRa will see you're potential and worth and put you to better use after you return._

Genesis rose at the prospect of such power but paused. "But how will I return? ShinRa won't just send a chopper out here to get me because I say I want to return early to show them I'm stronger?" he frowned when he realized he was just talking to himself and sighed, turning to return to his hotel and his small room where he could rest. He obviously needed it.

_My son, _the voice continued as he walked along the stretch of the beach and headed toward the busy streets, _I will give you a gift of transportation that comes with the power I have told you about._

Genesis smirked as he asked in his head, "And what would that be?"

_Flight. Do you accept?_

He laughed and shrugged at his mental fascinations. It made sense, he was engrossed in a play that told of wings and redemption and love, why wouldn't his mind put him in a state of getting all he wanted?

"Sure." He said aloud as he pushed past tourists exiting his hotel.

The voice laughed happily. _That's my boy, we will have everything now!_

"We sure will." He comically agreed while cracking a smile, returning to the confines of his room and kicking off his boots to lay down on the creaking bed. He wished he could get all he wanted, but the truth was Kituna was all wrapped up in another rich privileged young man with much more money and power than he had. He wanted her badly and would do anything to have her, but was also willing to accept that he would be a bachelor for life with his growing fangirl clubs, always having to imagine the girl in the dark was his angel, his Goddess.

He closed his eyes with a content smile, once again imagining what her body and lips felt and tasted like as he did every night since the night they saw Loveless. He brought up her pristine image instantly and walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her slight waist and leaning down with an eager smile as she returned his touch and smile. She let out a satisfied laugh as he kissed along her neck and down her shoulder.

"Gen, you are all I need, we will have everything forever and always." She said softly as her violet eyes flashed and his senses returned to his nervous system.

He felt the lingering effects of the Scotch he had downed back in the bar, the buzz he had bypassed fading in his pre-sleep euphoria, and the soft touch of his dream version of his love. He was overwhelmed with her and his longing for her that he didn't even notice the small pain that ran along his spine as he was lost in his sleep and his dreams.

080

Kituna sobbed as her other half leaned over her and gave her a small supportive smile. All she felt was ice and pain, an icy burn that was foreign and oppressing while also comforting and familiar, a part of her while not. It was her other half, in control of her body, killing…. What had she allowed Hojo to do? Why did she allow him to do it? She had made a grave mistake, worse than getting close to the three SOLDIER First Class, worse than getting close to Rufus… She could have just signed the Planet's death warrant early! She was a failure to her parents, to her Cetra brethren and to the Planet.

She didn't deserve to live.

This icy side of her… she could feel her joy in bloodshed, in killing, in being the killer… she could very well take Sephiroth's place as the avenging angel that seeks the Planet's destruction.

What had she unleashed on the world?

The green-eyed version of herself sighed at Kituna's crazed expression, her violet eyes wide, almost bugging out of their sockets, her mouth twisted in a grimace of terror and self-loathing, her body curled in the protective fetal position with her hands clenching her silky platinum hair. She knew what she was feeling without reading the expression, she was a part of her after all. She cleared her throat and edged closer.

"Um, you know, she doesn't have to take over. You just have to remember you're in charge." She said in her soft voice.

Kituna's eyes shot over to her, causing the Cetra to push back in momentary fear. Kituna's gaze wavered, her violet depths darkening in her own fear and desperation.

"She's so much stronger than me… she will only overpower me again…and again…and again…and.." she prattled on until her other half cut her off with a surprisingly forceful interjection.

"No! She is part of you, she is you! You have her strength and you control it. True you had an overdose on cells similar to your mother's but that is only half of who you are. I am your other half and now that the overdose has worn down some you can regain control."

Kituna slowly uncurled herself and looked up hopefully at the golden haired green-eyed version of herself. "I can?"

She nodded with a confident smile. "I will help you."

Kituna nodded and sat up, running her hands through her hair to tame the knots her fit of hysteria and pain had caused. "Okay… how do I do it?"

The Cetra sat beside her and frowned slightly. "You just have to calm down and concentrate I guess."

Kituna looked doubtful but nodded, accepting her father's side's hand in hers as she closed her eyes and took a series of calming breaths to slow her racing heart. She focused on the soft touch of her Cetra half and on herself, she heard every soft breath and felt every pulse through their veins until she was steady in her mind. She nodded once and opened her eyes.

"I am in control." She said softly, barely over a whisper.

She narrowed her eyes and repeated herself, louder this time.

"I am in control."

Her face hardened in determination as she growled. This wasn't working.

There was a soft padding sound behind her and Kituna turned to see a large white ferno with garnet red eyes.

"Sno…what are you doing here?" Kituna asked happily.

Sno sat beside her and touched her wet nose to Kituna's cheek, causing the young woman to giggle from the cute and comforting gesture.

_I am here for you, young one._

"Sno?" the ferno nodded.

_You need to get back in control, the threat to you and the demi-Cetra is gone now._

Kituna nodded and closed her eyes, straining to focus on regaining control as Sno touched her nose to her brow. She felt a rush of burning heat that was surprisingly calming. Sno's presence itself was calming to her, pure and telling her everything was alright, like the first snow fall of the year that brought vital nutrients to the ground for the next harvest. She felt a gentle breeze blow around her form, blowing her hair around slightly.

080

Rufus re-holstered his gun and ran a hand through his blond hair, not knowing what to do about this. The church, once clean and pure, was now practically painted in blood and bodies. His eyes went back to the shadows where the man who was going to rape Aerith apparently hid, his unseeing eyes staring back at them and a deep hole carved into his chest, his unmoving heart lying somewhere by him. He had to do something about this though, the scent of blood would undoubtedly attract animals or monsters from the rubbage littering the Slums.

"Kit…" he started, he needed to speak reason to her about what she had done. It was obvious she wasn't herself but this new her was a ruthless killer and a danger to all, including herself. He was stopped however when her eyes widened in shock, one of her slender hands slowly going to her stomach, confusion knotting her brows. "Kit, what's happening? What's wrong now?"

She looked up at him, almost pleadingly. "I… something's wrong… I feel… sick." She fell to her knees and gasped for air, Rufus quickly jogging over to place his hand on her sweating brow.

"Kit? Kit, just breathe okay, just breathe." He said, motioning Aerith to retrieve his bag of goods he had laid down beside her. "I have some water and cloth, you can drink some then lay back down. You have a terrible fever." He removed his hand, blowing on it to cool his own heated skin.

Aerith brought him the back, handing it to him with a shaky hand before returning to her pew and sitting as far away as possible. Rufus sighed, she was in shock and probably needed some medical attention if the man had indeed been well into the way of raping her.

"Aerith, will you be okay? We can go to the ShinRa building for medical attention if you want to." He offered as he opened the water bottle. He poured a little on the cloth and twisted the fabric together to get it all damp and then held out the bottle to Kituna's lips. She took a few sips before her eyes screwed shut in silent pain. Rufus placed the cloth under her bangs on her brow and helped her up to the nearest pew and gently laid her down. That was when he saw it, her hair, it was changing color, the roots taking a darker hue and bleeding into dark gold. He watched until her muscles eased on their tension and her hair was entirely golden and stood up to give her space as she opened her dusk hued eyes and sat up, a smile on her pale pink lips. She turned to him and he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm back in control…" she breathed. She jumped up and threw herself at the startled President of ShinRa. "I'm back in control!"

Rufus looked with wide eyes at an equally startled Aerith and then back to the clinging hybrid with her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

"Back… in control?" he asked slowly, not quite understanding.

She looked up at him and nodded. "It was scary, but I regained control and I promise it won't happen again! That half of me, the half I got from my mother… she's dark and dangerous and I don't know why I let her take control except that Aerith was in danger and I couldn't waste time resisting her. She was so much stronger than me…" she buried her face in his shoulder and sniffed. "I just want to go back to the building, okay?"

Rufus nodded. "Of course, we can go home. I'll send Tseng out here with Reno and Rude to clean up before the smell attracts monsters." He looked over at Aerith. "We'll stay here until Tseng gets here Aerith then he'll walk you home if you don't want to come with us…"

Aerith shook her head, her long braid bouncing against her back. "I'll go home with Tseng." She said quietly.

Rufus nodded in understanding and walked Kituna over to the pew and sat down with her. She leaned heavily on him, laying her head against his chest, her hands still clinging to his white coat like he was her lifeline. He didn't fully understand still what was going on or what had happened but Hojo would have to reveal more of what he knew about the young hybrid beside him. The fate of the world depended on it.

Otherwise he feared they'd all lose their sanity.

_**Okay, that's the next chapter, I suck at connection chapters if you haven't noticed ^^; but I'm happy with it. Please tell me what you think and thanks for reading!**_


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